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<br />Moapa Valley Unit, Nevada <br /> <br />10-' <br />(.I' <br />";J .' <br />c.o <br /> <br />This salinity control unit is located on the <br />Muddy River in Nevada immediately upstream <br />from Lake Mead. Approximately 5,000 acres of <br />land are irrigated in this area. The Muddy <br />River contributes more than 50,000 tons of salt <br />to Lake Mead annually. <br /> <br />USDA <br /> <br />The proposed USDA salinity reduction plan <br />includes installing an underground pipeline <br />irrigation water distribution system and <br />improving onfarm irrigation systems. Salt <br />loading will be reduced by approximately <br />13,600 tons per year at an estimated cost <br />effectiveness of $57 per ton. These estimates <br />will be finalized upon completion of the EIS <br />discussed below. <br /> <br />Work on the Moapa Valley USDA salinity <br />control project EIS continued during the year. <br />Public scoping meetings were held, engineering <br />investigations were carried out, and baseline <br />monitoring activities continued. The EIS is <br />scheduled to be published in 1992. <br /> <br />Paradox Valley Unit, Colorado <br /> <br />Reclamation <br /> <br />The Paradox Valley Unit facility, located in <br />southwestern Colorado, will intercept saline <br />inflows to the Colorado River and dispose of the <br />brine through deep well injection, controlling <br />about 180,000 tons of salt per year when in full <br />operation. The ongoing testing program consists <br />of verifying and refining the process of <br />controlling brine inflow to the river, collecting <br />design data for future facilities, and testing the <br />injection well. The 2-year injection test began in <br />July 1991. <br /> <br />Pariette Draw <br /> <br />BlM <br /> <br />Water quality monitoring stations are beginning <br />to yield data on salt and flows in Parlette Draw, <br />located in eastern Utah. Improvements have <br /> <br />14 <br /> <br />been made in the upper branch to reduce <br />sedimentation into Pariette Draw in the Vernal <br />District. <br /> <br />Price-San Rafael Rivers Unit, Utah <br /> <br />East-central Utah's Price and San Rafael Rivers <br />basins contribute an estimated 430,000 tons of <br />salt to the Colorado River annually. <br />Approximately 60 percent of this load is <br />attributable to agriculture. <br /> <br />ReclamatlonlUSDA <br /> <br />SCS and Reclamation continued work on a joint <br />plan and draft EIS for the Price-San Rafael <br />Rivers Unit. The report was distributed to the <br />public in September 1991. Under the joint <br />SCS-Reclamation plan, Reclamation would <br />install salinity control features in the irrigation <br />distribution system and a rural domestic water <br />distribution system to eliminate winter water <br />from the canal system. USDA would assist <br />individuals and groups in applying onfarm <br />salinity reduction practices. The unit would <br />reduce salt loading by an estimated 161,000 tons <br />per year. <br /> <br />Sagers Wash <br />BlM <br /> <br />A comprehensive management plan (Phase III) <br />is scheduled to be completed for Sagers Wash, <br />located in eastern Utah, in winter 1992. The <br />purpose of the study is to evaluate the salinity <br />control potential of various erosion control <br />structures, watershed improvements, and <br />management techniques for use in planning <br />projects in similar areas in the Colorado River <br />Basin. <br /> <br />Water quality monitoring stations on paired <br />watersheds are now yielding data. One <br />watershed has treatment; the other does not. <br />Therefore, quantifiable data will be available on <br />the effectiveness of the treatments. Sagers <br />Wash area was the first priority watershed that <br />was modeled (Phase II) by the interagency team <br />for a nonpoint source management program. <br />Implementation of the comprehensive plan will <br />