WSP04506

• File Number: 8272.100.60
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 5/1/1987
• Author: CRBSCF
• Title: Proposed Report on the 1987 Review - Water Quality Standards for Salinity - Colorado River System
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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The total irrigation diversion into the drainage area
averages 105;200 acre-feet per year. The average salt load
contri buted b~' the Basin is estimat,ed at 119,000 tons per
~u year. Salinity of the irrigation diversion averages 130
~~ mg/L while the outflow from McElmo Creek is about 2,600
UOmg/L at the Colorado-Utah State line.
~~ Significant public involvement in the salinity control
planning program involved proposing several alternatives to
reduce salinity. The recommended Reclamation plan to
reduce salinity is to line four sections of Montezuma
Valley Irrigation Company canals (three on the Lone Pine
Lateral and one on the Upper Hermana Lateral) and to
install laterals from the proposed,Towaoc-Highline Canal (a
Dolores Project feature) to serve the Rocky Ford Ditch
service area. The Rocky Ford Ditch would then be abandoned
apd its flows would be combined into the proposed
Towaoc-Highline Canal. These portions of the McElmo Creek
Unit have been authorized for construction as part of the
Do16res Project and will reduce salinity by 24,500 tons
annuall~'.
The USDA McElmo Creek Salinity Control repo,t was
published in 1983. The recommended plan includes
prov.isions for gravit~' pressure for sprinkler irrigation
for 10,400 acres and pumped pressure for 9,300 acres. In
addition, improved surface irrigation systems will be
installed on 1,850 acres. The recommended plan includes
onfarm improv8ments on a total of 21,550 acres.
A joint Reclamatibn - USDA project will permit USDA to
increase onfarm gravity pressure sprinkler irrigation by
2,700 acres, Under either alternative, about 270 miles of
improved onfarm delivery systems will be needed. The
Reclamation and USDA projects are fully compatible, and a
fully coordinated effort has been initiated so that the
design and implementation of Reclamation's delivery and
dislribution systems will complement the design and
installation, of the on farm systems.
Units in the Plannin~ Phase
Price-San Rafael Rivers (Reclamation and USDA), The
Price and San Rafael Rivers, in east-central Utah, are 120
miles southeast of Salt Lake City. These rivers drain into
the Colorado River via the Green River. An estimated
4~O,OOO tons of salt annually reach the Colorado River from
th~se two river basins. Of this amount, approximately 60
percent is attributed to non-point sources.
The nonpoint source salt loading contributed to the
Colorado River from the Price and San Rafael River Basins
occurs principally as a result of the dissolution of
soluble salts and irrigation returns to the ~iver system as
ground water flow.
SCS and Reclamation are evaluating the potential for a
joint and fully coordinated salinity control project which
may result in SCS-Reclamation reports for two subareas.
Alternatives include placement of laterals in pipe to use
gravity pressure for onfarm sprinkler irrigation systems.