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..1:>0 i-" W of"" . LOWER GUNNISON UNIT SUMMARY SHEET Lower Gunni~on Rasin Unit April 1982 Pagelof2 . LOCATION The LO'Jer Gunnison Basin Unit is located in Mont- rose .find Delta Counties of west-central Colorado. Present investigations pertain to that part of the Lower Gunnison Basin ~ich is within the Uncom- pahgre River Valley, The portion of the basin out- side the valley will be studied in the future. PURPOSE The object lve of the Lower Gunnison Basin Unit in- vestigation is to determine the feasibility of im- proving the quality of water entering the Uncom- pahgre River. The overall purpose of the project is to reduce salinity in the Colorado River Sys- tem. STATUS Feasibility studies on the Lower GlInnison Basin Unit .are being conducted under the Fe:deral Water Pollution Control Act of October 18, 1972 (Public Law 92-500), and the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of June 24, 1974 (Public L3.W 93-320) and Public Law 96-375 of October 3, 1980. A subsurface monitoring program was June 1978 to provide information on and trailS port mechanisms, initiated in sal t loading . A wetland inventory and evaluation completed in February 1979 sho...'cd that "'Ietlands comprise approx- imately 12 percent of the .,rea. The sturly ident i- fied water sources for individual wetlands and estimated wildlife value!';. A monitoring system was designed to analyze long-term trends in the wetland habitat. A planning team was established to coordinate the investigation and provide a forum for public par- ticipation. The planning team assisted in selec- t ion of a recommended pi an IoIh ich is be i ng included in the feasibility report and envirorunental state- ment. The planning team, and public participants, made a recommendation to concrete line as much of the clloal and lateral systems in the valley as can be justifier! by the salinity reduction objective ....ith the stiptlliltion that wherever field conditions warrant a flexible lining such as earth would be used. Environmental and economic cOllsiderations were used to identify \oIhich areas shollld be lined. Current estimates based on feasibility level anal- yses indicate that the east of the Uncompahgre Valley demonstrates the most cost-effective area for lining. Elimination of flows through all Uncompahgre Project can::tls and laterals during the noninigation season would also result in signifi- cant salinity r~duction. S81t loading investigated is being Service. c8u!';cd by on-farm practices by the Soil Conservat iOl\ Field drafts of the feasibility report, .aprendices, and draft envi rorrnental statement are bcine r~vie"""" .d. Completion of the draft environmental statement and a public hearing are scheduled for 1982. PLAN The recommended plan of development provides for eliminating winter flows for stock through the entire Uncompahgr~ Project distribution system. and concrete lining 58.9 miles of canals and 195.4 miles of laterals, all on the east side of the Uncompahgre: Valley. wildlife measures in the recommended plan \oIQuld include construction of 15 deer escape ranps along the largest Uncompahgre Project canal and acquisition of about 2,100 acres of lands along the Uncomp,;]hgre River to mitigate wetland habitat losses cau5ed by control of seepage from the lined canals and laterals. NORTH FORK AREA H. '-- UNCOMPAHGRE .~~,L.::: \t" AREc~ - - ----owiiT - - ~c-o'l