Laserfiche WebLink
<br />~ ~'"'-\ - v-c{ ~~ <br />3/2.0/'61 . <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />PRELIMINARY APPRAISAL-LEVEL ANALYSIS <br /> <br />McELMO CREEK UNIT <br /> <br />The Regional Director's proposed feasibility report for the McElmo <br /> <br />Creek Unit of the Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program is <br /> <br />scheduled for completion in 1983. This preliminary analysis summarizes <br /> <br />for concerned interests information about costs associated with the <br /> <br />alternatives currently being evaluated. <br /> <br />The McElmo Creek Unit investigation in southwestern Colorado was author- <br /> <br />ized by Public Laws 93-320 and 96-375 to determine the most cost-effective <br /> <br />way to reduce the salinity in the Colorado River system by removing a <br /> <br />portion of the 115,000 tons of salt entering the San Juan River annually <br /> <br />through McElmo Creek. An increase in salinity at Imperial Dam of about 12 <br /> <br />milligrams per liter (mg/L) results from both off-farm and on-farm sources. <br /> <br />The Soil Conservation Service and the Water and Power Resources Service are <br /> <br />coordinating individual studies in the total salinity reduction effort. <br /> <br />Following initiation of the study in 1976, a public involvement <br /> <br />program is aiding in formulating and evaluating a number of alternatives. <br /> <br />The public involvement program is ongoing and information developed at <br /> <br />meetings to be held over the next 6 weeks may impact the configuration <br /> <br />of the plan components, their cost, and selection of the alternatives <br /> <br />arrayed for feasibility study. The possibility of rehabilitating por- <br /> <br />tions of the canal and lateral system in the McElmo Creek Basin under the <br /> <br />salinity reduction objective and of transporting saline waters to the <br /> <br />Four Corners Area for powerplant use are currently being studied. <br /> <br />Agricultural source components (canal and lateral lining) of the <br /> <br />alternatives being investigated involve about 30 percent of the present <br /> <br />distribution system and could reduce the salinity at Imperial Dam by up <br /> <br />001462 <br />