WSP03970 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

2 l\:) C,:) r.:. N Average onfarm irrigation and distribution system efficiencies, especially in the Upper Basin, are generally low. Low irrigation efficiencies generally indicate high surface runoff and/or over-irrigation. Over-irrigation can result in excessive deep percolation. This greatly contributes to the salinity problem. Irrigation contributes some 37 percent of the total salt load to the river in the Upper Basin. There are approximately 1 million acres of irrigation in 17 selected salt source units' in the Upper Basin. It is estimated that at least seven of these units (500,000 acres) will be justified or feasible as salinity control projects. The control of salinity in the river at the 1972 level is required by an agreement made between the seven Basin States and EPA for implementation of Public Law 92-500. Cooperation within USDA USDA uses its ongoing programs to study and provide implementation assistance on needed salinity control measures. Presently, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) is using River Basin funds (RB-09) for surveys, investigations, and resulting study reports, while Conservation Operations-Technical Assistance funds are used for implementation technical assistance. The latter are supplemented with a 5 percent transfer of Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service's (ASCS) Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP) funds. ASCS is using ACP funds for cost-sharing salinity control measures. The Science and Education Administration (SEA) is providing funds from their appropriation for research, demonstration, information and education. The Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) is providing loan assistance for landowner's nonfederal share of improvements. USDA Title I Activities SCS initiated an intensive onfarm irrigation improvement program in 1974 to reduce the quantity of irrigation return flows from the 60,000 acre Well ton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District. Technical assistance and cost share assistance is prOVided individual farmers for practices that meet the Objective. SCS expenditures are reimbursed by WPRS. Approximately one-third of the planned program has been installed. Planned research by SEA is essentially complete. USDA Title II Activities USDA, in cooperation with concerned State agencies and other Federal agencies, has completed studies in two irrigated salt source units. These are the Grand Valley unit in Colorado, and the Uintah Basin unit in Utah. Studies in four additional irrigated units are nearing completion. These are the Big Sandy unit in Wyoming, the Lower Gunnison and McElmo units in Colorado, and the Virgin River unit in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.