WSP06146

• File Number: 8273.100
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - Bureau of Reclamation
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 11/1/1990
• Author: DOI BOR
• Title: Salinity Update - November 1990 - A Quarterly Report on the Colorado River Water Improvement Program
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

Paradox Valley

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Paradox ValIey, located in south.
western Colorado, was fonned from
a collapsed salt dome., ~e valley _,
lies above a residual gypsum cap
that covers a fonnati(:m of salt and
salt-rich shale that begins at a
depth of about 600 to 1,000 feet and
extends downward for about
14,000 feet.

The Dolores 'RIver picks up
approximately 205,000 tons of salt
annually as it crosses Paradox
Valley, primarily from the surfacing "
of brine grounlwater. 'Tile deep- "
well injection plan is designed to
prevent approximately 90 percent
ofthe natural brine inflow
(180,000 tons annually) from

entering the Colorado River system.
The saline ground water (brine of
260,000 mg/L TDS) will be pumped
from shaTTow coTTection weTTs
adjacent to the Dolores River, thus
pre~enting it from surfacing in the
ri~erbed,

Deep-weTT injection Was' selected
as a test method of disposal for the
coTTected brine because it was
technicaTTy sound and environmen-
tally and economi~ally preferable, to
the original disP9sal method of,
evaporation. . .
~ -. \!. - . '."", ,

.Construction of tj"e test injectilin
weTT and associated faCilities is '
complete. Preliminary testing wiTT
begin in the faTT of 1990 and a
2-year injection testing program will

begin in the spring of 1991. ResuIts
from the 2-year test wiTT enable a
final evaIuation of brine disposal by
injection versus evaporation.

USDA McEhfio' "
Creek project ~~ "

First-year funding for USDA'"
~linity con~rol contracts was
.' allocated to the McElmo Creek
project in '1990. In tlie first sign.up
period, 124 applications w.ere . '
received. At least seven".co1'1tracts
have been signed to date, and
salinity practices are being instaTIed
by the participants.

Edito" Patty J, Gillespie
Salinity Update is published four times
per year by the Colorado River Salinity
Program Coordinator I Bureau of
Reclamation. Department of the Interior,

Questions concerning the program or
specific projects should be addressed to:
Stan Gappa, 0-5090
Bureau of Reclamation
P,O, Box 25007
Denver, CO 80225

Telephone: FTS 776-6782
Commercial: [phone]
When writing to request address
changes or deletions, please include a
recent address label. Contributions to the
newsletter are encouraged.

United States
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation, D-5090
P.O. Box 25007
Denver, CO 80225.0007

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