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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />III RESEARCH ON SALINITY FROM BL~ MANAGED LANDS <br /> <br />~ <br />Q <br />~ <br />~ Several projects have been conducted or are planned to examine the effects <br />of various land management and treatment practices on watershed conditions <br />in the Western United States. Table one summarizes the primary variables-- <br />elevation, rainfall, ecotype, and treatment--that have been examined. The <br />Saltbrush Greasewood ecotype covers 3,000,000 acres of the Upper Colorado <br />Basin. A review of Kuchler's map of Natural Vegetation types suggests <br />significant areas of this exist throughout the public lands. Table one <br />also indicates that the lower precipitation zones have not been signi- <br />ficantly studied in the determination of effects of grazing management <br />systems on runoff, water quality and erosion. Thus, the combination of <br />low precipitation, saltbrush-greasewood vegetation, and highly saline Mancos <br />Shale soils may warrant additional investigation. <br /> <br />Small Basins Project - Nineteen basins (500-5000 acres) have been instru- <br />mented to record water quantity and quality data on non-saline, moderately <br />saline and highly saline soils in the Saltbrush Greasewood, Pinion Juniper <br />vegetative zones of the Moab and Grand Junction districts. The physical <br />resources of soils, geology and vegetation,are to be recorded in FY 81. <br />In addition, the variable factors of grazing intensities and management <br />systems as well as other land use factors will be recorded as appropriate <br />to describe the conditions of the basins at the time water quantity and <br />quality are recorded. Correlation studies of these factors and similar <br />factors recorded on research areas such as Saval, Rio Puerco, and Reynolds <br />improve our understanding of the problems and control measures associated <br />with salinity originating on the public lands. <br /> <br />will <br /> <br />Rainfall simulation study Soil-vegetation units currently under various <br />representative livestock management systems are subjected to the rainfall <br />simulators in an attempt to gain a better understanding between rainfall, <br />water quality, erosion and soil vegetation units under a variety of grazing <br />intensities and management systems. These studies are correlated to both <br />smaller plot studies and small basins studies at Saval, the Small Basin <br />Project described above, and other research locations as well as areas <br />addressed in the Grazing Environmental Impact Statement effort. <br /> <br />---'-00=";1 <br /> <br />There is a definite relationship between the samples taken on plot studies, <br />small basins, and larger research watersheds to assist in understanding the <br />cause and effect relations between livestock management systems, grazing <br />intensity, soil vegetation units and salinity production. The proposed <br />Saline Control research project is a significant part of this overall approach <br />to quantification of effects and the development of Best Management Practices, <br />EAR's, EIS's and the implementation of the allotment management plans. <br /> <br />The preceding sUmmary of salinity research coupled with the Bureau's <br />requirements for multiple-use planning and management reveals the need <br />for additional research into the causes of increased salinity in runoff. <br /> <br />In the case of the Badger Wash and others, salinity research efforts did <br />not concent rate on eval,"ating the e [fects of several grazing management <br />systems on salinity. ~.fcnr.;tion on the effects of various intensity levels <br /> <br />'i <br /> <br />!' <br /> <br />