WSP04537

• File Number: 8271.300
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - General Information and Publications-Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 6/4/1982
• Title: CRWQIP Salinity Control Units Grand Junction Project Office June 4 1982
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

!jinh::H1 Villk~~!2Jcct Summary

Location

i.

The Sinbad Valley Salinity Control Project is located on Salt Cceek in ~!esCl
and Montrdsc Counties, Colorado. Salt Creek is a triblltary to the Dolores
River in tile Upper Colorado River Basin. A saline ground water disch.:J.rge
from the Paradox member of the Hermosa Formation and overlying alluvium in
Sinuad Valley is responsible for hir;h concentrations of dissolved solids in
Salt Creek.

I
(,

w::.. Purpose
......
~ The purpose of the Sinhad Valley Project investigations is to determine the
Cil feasibility of reducing the salt load in the Colorado River by intercepting
and disposin.g of the saline ground ,;ater discharge in Salt Creek. Approx-
imately 5,000 to 8,000 tons of salt per year could be removed from the Colo-
rado River system, reducing the salt load at Imperial Dam uy up to 1. 0 mg/L.

Background

The Agreement bet"een the United States and Nexico in 1973 Clnd the Federal
Water Quality Control Act Amendments of 1972 pcovide legislative dicection
to reduce the salinity of the Colorado River Basin whenever possible. The
Buceau of Land l1anagement received funds for the Sinbad Valley Project study
by a line item in the current fiscal year I s Appropriat ions.

.

Proposed legislation (S,B. 2202) to amend the Colorado River Basin Salinity
Control Act (P. 1. 93-320) lists the Sinbad Valley as Ol'e of six ne"
salinity control units for authorization.

Status

The Bureau of Land Man.:1gcment has requested Reclamation to assist in the
planning, design, and construction of a project to reduce salt contrihutions.
Bureau of Land ~illnagcment and Reclamation have participated in a field trip
to Sinbad Valley durillg April 1932 and prepilred a Nemorandum of Agreement
(UDA). Under the proposed ~IDA, BLH'lOuld provide overall project administra-
tion and final project decisions; prepare all officIal reports and documents;
collect environmental data and prepare environmental analyses; obtain neces-
sary right-of-"ays and pennits; provide llydrology support; provide funding
for the study; and operate and maintain constructed facilities.

Reclamatioll would dev~lop alternative plans, prepare descriptions of
al.telllatives, designs, and cost effectiveness calculations; recommend one
alternative [or implementation; collect specification-grade data for the
recommended plnn; perform necessary flood studies; \vrite a construction
contract for the selected plan; and adnlinister tile contract and provide
field inspect ions.

.

Five alternatives have been identified by Reclamation for study. 1'\.0 of
these involve constructing a cut off wall to bedrock and transporting or di-
verting the brine to evaporation ponds. 'I\vo \--'ould utilize the cut off \.1.0111
and deep HO.l1 injection. The fifth alternative Hould be a dam at th" valley
outlet "hieh would a110,; all [lo"s to evaporate in place.

If f\Jllding is available, studies are expected to be completed and a construc-
tion contr<,ct Bl.arded by July 1983.