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... waters for irrigation tends to concentrate salts and solids in original stream channels. Return flow dis=harges add salts, nutrients, and sediments from croplands into stream channels. Overland runoff contributes salts. sediments, and nutrients from nonirrigated croplands and coliform bacteria from pasture land. Minimum till and no till conservation measures, implemented and supported by Utah agricultural agencies, reduce runoff and runoff associated chemicals. These conservation tillage measures are beneficial advantages in controlling and reducing agricultural nonpoint source contributions. ~ ~ v. Salinity will remain a water quality problem in utah. High runoff has decreased total dissolved solid concentrations, but increased flows have increased total loadings to the Colorado River system. Salinity control is being implemented in the Uinta Basin. Investigations for salinity control alternatives are continuing in the Price, San Rafael, and Dirty Devil drainages. The State will continue to pursue the implementation of salinity control projects. C. Colorado The most significant water quality problems in the colorado portion of the Basin relate to the maintenance of the existing high quality waters in streams and lakes that may be threatened by wastewater from growing communities and to the rehabilitation of several streams that have been contaminated by heavy metals from drainage from inactive mine tunnels, mill wastes, tailing piles, and natural sources. Wastewater treatment plants for most communities in the Basin were expanded during the last several years to accommodate the expected increase in population brought about by growth in the recreation and energy sectors of the economy. The soft market for all energy fuel sources and high unemployment have left many communities with excess wastewater treatment capacity. Ammonia in the un-ionized ammonia form occurs in low concentrations, particularly in the wintertime. Wasteload allocations for ammonia requiring advanced wastewater treatment have been developed for the Yampa, Roaring rork, and Eagle Rivers. If the winter recreational population continues to grow, the un-ionized ammonia standard for aquatic life may not be met without advanced wastewater treatment along the San Miguel, Fraser, and East Rivers. The San Miguel River below Uravan and the Dolores River below the San Miguel confluence have not consistently met the water quality standard for un-ionized ammonia. These river segments downstream from Union Carbide's Uravan uranium milling site are the only instance of un-ionized ammonia attributable to an industrial source in colorado. The mill has been closed for the past few years, and ammonia concentration in the river has dropped. several headwater streams in the Basin, located in the Colorado mineral belt, are contaminated with high concentrations of heavy metals, especially lead, copper, zinc, and cadmium. Drainage from inactive mine tunnels, mill wastes, and tailing piles is responsible for much of the contamination. The major streams that do not currently meet water quality standards for metals within the Basin include segments of the Eagle, Blue, Crystal, Dolores, Slate, Yampa, Animas, and uncompahgre Rivers. The State is seeking damages from companies ~ning mining properties through ~~s suits on several of these stream segments. 111-3 -