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<br />l\:) <br />c:..J <br />W <br />Ul <br /> <br />15 <br /> <br />LOWER GUNNISON BASIN - COLORADO <br /> <br />Eight alternative plans have been developed by SCS for salinity control <br />in the basin. These plans provide for salt reductions ranging from <br />65,000 to 420,000 tons per year. A public involvement effort is underway <br />so that the locally-preferred alternative can be identified. <br /> <br />,. <br /> <br />A draft report is due for in-house review in January 1981. Comments on <br />this report will be requested from other interested agencies and <br />organizations. A supplement to the existing program EIS originally <br />issued by WPRS/SCS in May 1977 is also being drafted. Completion of the <br />supplement is e~ected by March 1981. <br /> <br />The major environmental impact of any of the alternative plans will be <br />their effect on wildlife habitat in the area. Presently some <br />14,820 acres of wetlands supported by irrigation water sources are <br />located within the study area. Of this total about 7,220 acres are <br />~etland Types 1 and 2. A 'trial of the Fish and Wildlife Service's "HEP" <br />procedures is underway. All of the needed field data on present habitat <br />values have been collected. This information is being put into the FWS's <br />ADP program to compute habitat value ratings. <br /> <br />VIRGIN RIVER UNIT - ARIZONA, NEVADA, UTAH <br /> <br />Supplement No.1 to the Virgin River Unit Plan of Study (distributed in <br />June, 1980), divided the study into Moapa Valley, Virgin Valley, and <br />Upper Virgin River sub-evaluation units. <br /> <br />A USDA implementation plan was recommended for some 5,000 irrigated acres <br />in Moapa Valley. Comments from the Advisory Council and other interested <br />agencies will be considered in finaliZing the study report. Distribution <br />date is estimated to be March 1981. <br /> <br />A draft report identifying an implementation plan was prepared for the <br />3,500 surface irrigated acre Virgin Valley. A report for the <br />15,000 irrigated acre Upper Virgin River sub-evaluation unit is also in <br />progress. The SCS Nevada planning staff expects to finalize these draft <br />reports in the next six months or so. <br /> <br />BIG SANDY RIVER - WYOMING <br /> <br />The accomplishments and progress for FY 1980 centered around the <br />preparation and review of the Coordinating Committee and Technical Review <br />Draft and the Interagency Review Draft of the Big Sandy Salinity Control <br />Study Report. <br /> <br />Two public meetings were held during this periOd concerning the salinity <br />study. The first meeting was with the Coordinating Committee on <br />December 13, 1979, to review and obtain comments on the draft report. <br />The second meeting was held Feburary 4, 1980, to report progress on the <br />salinity study to the public. <br />