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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />"l~"J<'l"7 <br />',' ' -', <br />..- .' ,.. ,) "-, <br /> <br />response to this, the Congress passed the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (1974) <br />and the states formed the Seven Basin States Salinity Control Forum. The purpose of the <br />Act and the Forum was to reduce the amount of salt entering the river from irrigation and . <br />other uses and thereby improve the water quality. One of the initial salinity projects <br />authorized by the Act was the Grand Valley Unit which is currently being implemented. <br /> <br />The salinity program aims to reduce salt loading by reducing saline return flows <br />through improved irrigation systems. These improvements are capable of reducing <br />consumptive use and also irrigation diversions while historical irrigated acreage reIl1ains <br />constant and crop yields improve. Improvements consist of canal and lateral lining or <br />piping and on-farm practices which will reduce irrigation diversion requirements. A by- <br />product of these improved systems is "salvaged" and "saved" water. These two terms are <br />defined as follows: <br /> <br />"salvaged" water: <br /> <br />the difference between historical consumptive use and <br />consumptive use occurring in a more efficient system. <br /> <br />"saved" water: <br /> <br />the amount of water no longer needed for diversion at the <br />headgate because of system modernization. <br /> <br />Within the last decade, several species of fish native to the Colorado River Basin <br />have been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and <br />Wildlife Service (FWS). Two of these, the Colorado Squawfish and Razorback Suckel,", are <br />found between Cameo and the Colorado Utah stateline. Recovery efforts for the <br />endangered fish species have focused on preserving a segment of this habitat, "the IS-Mile <br />Reach", found between the GVIC diversion dam near Palisade, Colorado and the Gunnison <br />River confluence. The recovery program goal is to provide sufficient instream flows through <br />this reach to meet the habitat needs of the endangered fish. The FWS has determined that <br />present flow levels in the reach are not adequate and is leading an effort to find new <br />sources of water to augment existing flows. <br /> <br />III. The Federal Salinity Control Program <br /> <br />The Federal Salinity Control program was developed as a cooperative effort of state <br />and federal agencies to manage salt concentrations in the Colorado River, which were of <br />concern because of delivery obligations to Mexico, and also because high salinity levels <br />could interfere with beneficial uses of water in the basin states. The program was <br />established by the Salinity Control Act of 1974 and 1984 amendments, 43 U.S.C. Sections <br />1571-1599. The primary federal salinity activities with regard to irrigation are improved <br />delivery systems installed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and improved on- <br />farm irrigation systems installed by the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). Participation in <br />either of these programs is entirely voluntary. In general USBR is lining large canals and <br />ditches, while SCS is helping farmers to better manage and deliver water on-farm with <br />sprinkler systems and piped or lined laterals. Both programs aim at reducing salt load into <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />I>. <br /> <br />, <br />--:,~ <br />- .;L::;j <br />J;.,,,,",,,.!h>C "",. .__ <br /> <br />,-", - <br />