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. . 2 II BLM INVENTORIES, DECISIONS, AND ACTIONS RELATED TO SALINITY CONTROL Actians concerning reductians of salinity in nmoff fram public lands are based an a variety af decisian dacuments. Inventories af sail, ~ vegetation, and water resources are camponents af the infarmatian that <:> gaes into. decisian documents. N 00 Inventories Sail and vegetation inventaries are being ,conducted thraughaut lands managed by the Bureau. These inventories are designed to supply basic data necessary far multiple-use land management. These data are naw being used in the preparation af land use plans, activity plans, and environmental assessments. Sail inventories are conducted under the standards of the National Coope rati 'Ie Soil Survey. Chemical and physical cha racte ristics (including salinity), patentia1 praductivity, suitability, and limitatians far variaus land uses are determined. Vegetation inventories are c.onducted in accordance with standards and procedures stated in BU1' s Manual Sectian 4412, Physical Resaurce Studies. This inventory determines the present rangeland candition (sera1 stage) and serves as a basis for trend studies, vegetation productions estimates, and ather vegetatian data needed for develaping management pragrams. These inventaries serve as a base far manitaring changes in the sail vegetation data base and allow transfer of cause and effect re1atianships to other areas of similar soils, water and vegetatian throughout the public lands. Pracedures for Water Resources Inventaries have been deve1aped over the past two years and are scheduled far release in theBLM Manual this year. The resulting inventaries will significantly aid implementatian af salinity contral on public lands. These systematic inventaries, which will be canducted in suppart of the planning system, are designed to characterize salinity control problem areas. These inventories, in canjunctian with the sail and vegetatian inventories, will pravide the basis far develapment of intensive management or cantrol plans (watershed management activity plans) for these areas. Water resource inventaries have already begun in same states and all states will be involved by the end af FY 1981. _.._~~ Decisions BLM is presently implementing, bath in the 'Ca1arada River Basin and in other areas o.f the West, specific manageroent programs that he:i.p to contro.l ar reduce salinity from the public lands. The programs are deve:i.oped through the Bureau's land use planning process and include propasals for management of grazing, off-road (ORV) use, energy develapment and ather surface disturbing activities assaciated with the public lands. All proposed activities are subjected to detailed environmental assessments. Stipulatiansare developed to. mi:limize surface disturbance ",..,d reduce sail erasion, sedimentation, and resultant salinity.