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~ou C\l o c... COOPER~'hvE EXTENSION SER\lfCE TRI RIVER AREA 1t Petroleum Mining Club Bldg 2754 Compass Dr SUite 170 619 Main Grand Junction, Colorado 81501 Grand JunctIOn. COlorado 81501 242-4511 244-1834 1001 North 2nd Friendship Hall Monlrose. Colorado 81401 249-3935 The WATERLINE No. 6 SALINITY UPDATE The Grand Valley Salinity on-farm cost-sharing program is now well into its sixth year. The program was originally scheluled to run ten years, with a goal to treat 80 per-~ent of the valley with irrigation improvements by the end of that period. During the last six years, nearly 600 land~wners have applied at least one practice. Here is a breakdown of applied practices in the Grand Valley through the program as of June, 1984: Group or lateral underground delivery pipeline Individual underground delivery pipeline Group or lateral concrete ditch lining Individual concrete ditch lining Gated pipeline Land leveling 166,218 feet 329,376 feet 57,021 feet 180,691 feet 223,701 feet 2,143 acres It is interesting to note that there has been a definite trend in the last few years to underground pipeline and gated pipe installation instead of concrete ditches. Since 1979, a total for the above practices. in the valley. ~~ County Courthouse Annex 5th & Palmer Della, Colorado 81416 674-3519 August, 1984 E. James Currier Soil Conservationist of $6,274,255 has been disbursed in cost-share payments Cost-sharing is available for any agricultural land unit Pipeline and concrete ditch systems reduce seepage and deep percolation, which helps to reduce the salt contribution to the Colorado River. With the installation of the above practices over the last six years, seepage was reduced by 5,144 acre-feet. It is estimated that each acre-foot of ground water carries about 5 tons of salt to the river. Therefore, the salt contribution to the river has been reduced by 25,887 tons. According to latest cost-estimates, this salt reduction will prevent nearly $2,000,000 in down-stream damages each year for the life of the irrigation systems. The Bureau of Reclamation, which has responsibility for the overall Salinity Program, is working toward the improvement of the Government Highline Canal System. The Bureau plan, at one time, included improvement of all major canals and privately owned laterals, but these plans have been scaled down for the present. These privately owned laterals are also eligible for cost-sharing, and provide excellent potential for further improvement of irrigation systems in the Grand Valley. Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Della, Mesa, Montrose and Ouray Counties Cooperating. The Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Service is dedicated to serve all people on an equal and nondiscriminatory basis. . l _____