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<br />identified on the Fremont River or its tributaries. Approximately 28 percent <br />of the Muddy Creek salt load, 24,200 tons per year, comes from springs in <br />Hanksville salt Wash and Emery South Salt Wash. <br /> <br />~ The geologic formations in the drainage basin consist primarily of <br />00 sedimentary deposits, about 60 percent of which are mudstones, claystones, and <br />CJ shales. The Carmel Formation of Jurassic Age and the Mancos Shale Formations <br />-J of Cretaceous Age are major contributors of dissolved solids in the Basin. <br />Irrigation of alluvial soils derived from shales increases the contribution of <br />dissolved solids to the streams. <br /> <br />The unit would be designed to reduce the salinity of the Dirty Devil <br />and Colorado Rivers by collecting saline spring water in Hanksville Salt Wash <br />and Emery South Salt wash and disposing of it by deep well injection. <br />Collection would be accomplished by pumping surface and alluvial water from <br />shallow wells. This water would be filtered and chemically stabilized after <br />which it would be injected into a deeply buried geologic formation, the <br />Coconino Sandstone, where it would be stored indefinitely, and isolated from <br />any fresh water aquifer now in use. This means of disposal would reduce the <br />salt contribution to the Colorado River by 20,900 tons annually. The only <br />alternative to the recommended plan is no action. <br /> <br />The Preliminary Findings Report was completed in 1983, the Plan <br />Formulation Working Document in 1984, and the Field Draft Planning <br />ReportjEnvironmental Compliance Document in 1985. The field ~eview was <br />completed in May 1986, and the Draft Planning ReportjEnvironmental Assessment <br />was prepared in October 1986. <br /> <br />The Colorado River Salinity Control Forum recommended the study not <br />continue into advanced planning because the State of Utah would not commit to <br />granting a water right from a portion of its Colorado River Compact water <br />allocation. All field investigations and advance planning activities ceased <br />in 1985. <br /> <br />5. Glenwood-Dotsero Springs Unit (Reclamation) <br /> <br />The Glenwood-Dotsero Springs unit is located along the Colorado <br />River in Eagle, Garfield, and Mesa Counties in west-central Colorado. <br />Combined discharges annually contribute approximately 25,000 acre-feet of <br />water containing about 440,000 tons of salt, mostly sodium chloride. About <br />half of the salt contribution comes from 20 surface springs. Twelve of these <br />springs are clustered near the town of Glenwood Springs, and eight are grouped <br />about 2.5 miles downstream from Dotsero. The remainder of the salt enters <br />through springs in the stream gravels, diffuse seeps, and to a small extent <br />surface runoff. Several of the springs in Glenwood Springs have been <br />developed for bathing and therapeutic purposes. The major ions in the spring <br />discharge are sodium and chloride. <br /> <br />Planning investigations began in early 1980. Technical work <br />included the measurement and chemical analysis of springs and ground water in <br />the two areas and a detailed technical study of the salt loading mechanism. <br />Plans were then formulated with the aid of public input. More than 33 <br />alternatives were generated. These were then narrowed to two alternatives <br />from which the recommended plan was selected. <br /> <br />VII-15 <br />