WSP06160

• File Number: 8273.600.20
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - USDA
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/1983
• Author: USDA
• Title: 1982 Annual Report - Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

IV. USDA TITLE II ACTIVITIES

Title II activities include a broad range of USDA agencies inputs into the .
planning and implementation of an agricultural onfarm salinity control program.
~
~ Specific language in Title II of Public Law 93-320, the Colorado River Basin
~J Salinity Control Act, directed the Secretary of Interior, the Administrator of
o the EPA, and the Secretary of Agriculture to "cooperatp. and coordinate their
activities effectively to carry out the objectives of, this title". 'In
fulfillment of the legislative directive, the Secretary of Interior and the
Secretary of Agriculture entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in
November, 1974. A subsequent Memorandum of Agreemeot has been executed
between the BR and the SCS, and, in addition, an internal USDA Memorandum of
Agreement between various USDA agencies has been executed. The various
activities and accomplishments of the USDA agencies are further explained in
the remainder of this section. The major program areas addressed by the USDA
agencies are: 1) irrigation salt source area studies'(SCS); 2) implementation
technical assistance (SCS); 3) implementation cost-sharing (ASeS);
4) extension eduction (ES); 5) research and demonstration (ARS, CSRS); and
6) monitoring and evaluation (seS).

A. Irrigation Salt Source Area Studies

This activity is a planning function under leadership of SCS. The 'objectives
of these studies are: 1) to identify salt source areas; 2) to determine salt
loading estimates; 3) to evaluate treat~ent alternatives and salt load
reduction impacts; and 4) to develop recommended implementation plans 'and
associated implementation costs. These detailed salinity control studies and
investigations are being funded using river basin study authorities of
Section 6 of Public Law 83-566. Full coordination is maintained with the SR,
the EPA, and interested State aod local agencies or organizations through
various coordinating committees at the local project level.

Table IV~l presents the current status of the 17 identified irrigation salt
source area studies. It is noted that the Virgin Valley and McElmo Creek
studies were both completed in 1982; however, McElmo Creek was not published
until Pebruary 1983. With publication of the Virgin Valley and McElmo C'reek
reports, USDA has completed seven salinity control studies on over 500,000
acres. If fully funded and implemented, these seven salinity control projects
would reduce Colorado River salt loading by nearly 750,000 tons per year which
translates into a reduction in salinity concentrations at Imperial Dam of
82.9 mg/l.

Salinity control planning activities for FY-83 will be somewhat minimal with
only modest planning activities underway in the Price-San Rafael (UT) and the
scheduled completion of Mancos Valley (CO). USDA anticipates adequate funding
to resume a more intensive planning effort in FY-84. Other salt source areas
with no anticipated study activities at this time either lack significant
salinity control benefits or local support to initiate a planning study.

B. Implementation Technical Assistance and Cost-Sharing

In Public La~ 93-32D, the Secretary of Agriculture waS directed "to cooperate
in the planning and construction of onfarm system measures under programs
available to that Department". Present USDA implementation projects are being
carried out under authority of the existing SCS conservation technical
assistance program and the ASCS Agricultural Conservation Program (ACP)
cost-sharing authorities.

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