WSP05534

• File Number: 8273.600
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - USDA
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 4/1/1994
• Author: USDA
• Title: Monitoring and Evaluation Report for the McElmo Creek Unit of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - 1993 Annual Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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Approximately 60,000 acres (34% of total) of the McElmo
Creek Project area was photographed (at a scale of
1"=200ft.) in August of 1991. This coverage captured a high
percentage of the irrigated cropland in the unit. For this
reason and the sake of time 12 photos out of the 47 were
selected for monitoring purposes. Fifteen thousand acres
(8.5% of the total area or 25% of the photographic coverage)
were then field inventoried for wetlands and delineated by
type on polyester overlays. Items 3,4 and 5 have not been
completed. .

One problem with offsite monitoring which has surfaced in
the McElmo Creek Unit is differentiating those wetland
impacts attributed to CRse contract implementation (both on
and. off farm) .from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (U.S.B.R.)
canal rehabilitation impacts and impacts due to development
or drainage by individuals. To date SCS is the only entity
which has agreed to monitor offsite wetland impacts. An
impact to an offsite wetland may be discernable, however, to
attempt to identify the source of that impact may require
technical expertise (hydrology, geology) beyond the scope of
the current M&E program. It was decided at the M&E workshop
held in Grand Junction on January 11-15, 1993 'to identify
these impacts and attribute them all to ses activities. An
attempt will be made, upon project completion; to involve
Bureau of Reclamation in developing and applying
replacement.

9. wildlife Replacement

One hundred and forty (140) CRSe contracts were approved
between 1990 and 1993 for a total expenditure of
$2,883,952.81 on 9557.0 acres. Approximately 9%
($254,993.00) has been alloca~ed for wildlife practices.
sixty Nine contracts (50%) contain some form of cost~shared
wildlife practices (see table 1, mitigation summary). Three
(3) contracts contain non-cost shared (salinity) wildlife
practices and management. One is being cost-shared under
the State Forest Service Stewardship Incentive Program
(SIP) .

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To date 15.44 acres of shallow water areas have been
developed. Additionally 2i.3 acres of type 2 and 3 wetlands
have been enhanced through excavation of shallow dugouts to
create open water to vegetation interspersion, thus creating
a more diverse wetland complex. These wetlands have been
fenced to exclude or defer livestock grazing during nesting
season (April l-July 15).

Approximately 21.0 acres have been planted to perennial
grasses and legumes and 1.7 acres to trees and shrubs to
provide cover for upland wildlife. Livestock grazing will
be deferred during nesting season (April I-July 15).
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