WSP05573

• File Number: 8273.400
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - Bureau of Land Management
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 8/1/1980
• Author: BLM
• Title: BLM Land Use Practice and Salinity Control in Runoff
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Salinity Contiol Program on BL~ Lands In Colorado

An inventory of point sources of salinity was begun for waters on
public lands in Colorado in 1974. Most of the effort was concentrated
in the Craig District wi'th some work in the Grand Junction District. TO
date four flowing wells have been plugged and retention dams have been
constructed at two springs to act as evaporation ponds. Reductions in
total salt load ranges from about 11 tons per year for the smallest
source to about 5800 tons per year for the largest. A total reduction
of about 5900 tons per year has been realized at a cost of about
$36,000.00. A stream (Salt Creek) with extrem.ely high salt concentra-
tions hao; also been identified, but the flow is small and variable.
- Therefore, a gaging station has been installed to determine the total
salt contribution and the feasibility of control measures.

The inventory has continued on a limited basis through FY 1980 and
five more springs have been identified which could potentially be con-
trolled. Salt loads range from 14 to 30 tons per year per source and
construction estimates average $8,000.00 each.

Beginning in FY 1981, we plan to expand our inventory of water
sources and water uses in connection with the water rights program. As
highly saline sources are discovered, control measures will be explored.

Public Lands are estimated to contribute about 8% of the salinity
in the Colorado River Basin. It has also been estimated that there is
a potential' to control possibly as much as 20% of the 8% contribution or
up to 15 mg/l at Imperial Dam. In Colorado, we manage approxi:nately
one-third of the Public I.ands in the Upper Colorado River Basin and, at
most, anyone Resource Area manages about one-sixth of that. So a
maximum of ,0.09% of the salinity in the Upper Colorado River is being
addressed in our grazing ESs at anyone time. This is insignificant
especially ~~len compared with forage prOduction, wildlife management,
rangeland ma11agement and all of the other resow:ce considerations that
the manager must address when making multiple use decisions. As a
result salinity has not been considered a significant problem.

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