WSP06561

• File Number: 8273.600
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agencies - USDA
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 6/1/1990
• Author: Soil Cons Svc
• Title: Patterson Hollow - USDA Water Quality Hydrologic Unit Area Proposal
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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INTRODUCTION

The Lo~er Arkansas River in Colorado, according to the
Cooperative E><tension, is the most saline stream of its size
in the United States. The average salinity levels of canal
systems east of Pueblo increase from 300 ppm Total Dissolved
Sol ids nDS> to over 4,000 ppm TDS near the state line.
Shallo\ol \ole I Is in the area have simi lar TDS concentrations.
Water containing more than 2,000 ppm TDS has often been
assumed to be unsu i tab I e for i rr i gat i on, but such waters
have been used in the Arkansas Va II ey for many years.
Approximately t~o thirds of the 290,000 acres of irrigated
land is being irrigated with Class C4 ~ater, the U.S.
Salinity Laboratory's highest salinity hazard
classificati'on. High sediment and salinity problems ~ere
identified in the Colorado Nonpoint Assessment report for
this reach of the river.

COORDINATION

The Water Quality Control Division, located in the Colo,-ado
Department of Health, has primary responsibi I ity for conduct
of the nonpoint source program in Colorado. Included in
these responsibi I ities are preparation and updating of the
State Assessment and Management Program Reports, maintalning
the state~ide manual of 8MP's, and preparing a list of
nonpoint source funding prIorities. The Division serves as
staff to the Water Qual ity Control Commission in both a
regulatory and policy framework.

Thw Colorad~. Nonpoint Source Task Force was formed, at the,
request of the Water Qual ity Control Division, in May 1'987,
to serve as a combina"tion adviso~y and work group to a~5lst
the Division in creating Colorado's nonpoint source program.
Membership on the task force is comprised of ~gencies and
groups involved in efforts to control nonpoint source
pollution.

Colorado's Nonpoint Assessment Report identified the
Arkansas River as being impacted by salinity and sediment
po II utants. These po I I utants are be i ng contr i buted by
agricultural practices in the basin.

On Apri I 4, 1990, representat i ves of the So i I Conservati on
Service (SCS> , Cooperative E><tension (CD, Agricultural
Stabl I ization and Conservation Service (ASCS>, Agricultural
Research Service (ARS> , Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA>, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS>, Colorado State Soil
Conservat i on Board (CSSCB>, and the Co I orado Water Qual i ty
Control Division (CWQCD> reviewed water qual ity problems in
the state and recommended that the Patterson Ho II ow area be
submitted as a USDA Water Quality Hydrologic Unit Area

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