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<br />~ <br />~ <br />o <br />*'" <br /> <br />Program Status <br /> <br />This section describes 1993 salinity control <br />activities. <br /> <br />Big Sandy River Unit, Wyoming <br /> <br />The Big Sandy River Unit is located in <br />southwestern Wyoming. USDA identified a <br />cost-effective onfarm program to remOve <br />52,900 tons. Reclamation did not identifY a <br />cost-effective off-farm salinity control program. <br /> <br />USDA <br /> <br />Implementation has been underway in this unit <br />since 1988. During 1993, 16 new salinity control <br />contracts were approved for a total of 63 salinity <br />control contracts with farmers. There are <br />14 applications pending approval. The <br />application of salinity reduction and wildlife <br />habitat replacement practices has accelerated as <br />new contracts are approved. In this area, <br />farmers are converting from surface flood <br />irrigation to primarily low-pressure center pivot <br />irrigation systems for salinity control. <br />Twenty-one center pivot systems were installed <br />by farmers in 1993. Information and education <br />activities have been underway on alfalfa variety <br />trials and no-till methods to e8tablish alfalfa. <br /> <br />Reclamation <br /> <br />Reclamation's planning activities for this unit <br />will be finished after one deep aqnifer <br />monitoring well is plugged. Because the <br />monitoring well is on BLM lands, Reclamation <br />and BLM have signed a cooperative agreement <br />for BLM to oversee the plugging of the well. At <br />the direction of BLM, geophysics testing is <br />scheduled for completion in the fall of 1993. If <br />appropriate, the well will be plugged with grout <br />early in 1994. <br /> <br />McElmo Creek Unit-Dolores <br />Project, Colorado <br /> <br />The McElmo Creek Basin is located in south- <br />western Colorado and covers about 720 square <br />miles. Early studies in the area showed that <br />salt loading results from irrigation and diffuse <br />80urCeS, with irrigation as the main contributor. <br />Reclamation and USDA have identified <br />cost-effective programs to reduce salt loading <br />from the area by 61,000 tons per year. <br /> <br />Reclamation <br /> <br />Reach 1 and 2 of the Towaoc Canal have been <br />completed. Work is now underway to complete <br />the Rocky Ford Laterals, which deliver water <br />from the Towaoc Canal. Contracts for lining <br />three sections of the Lone Pine Lateral and the <br />one section of the Upper Hermana Lateral have <br />been awarded and are under construction. The <br />unit i8 sCheduled to be completed in 1994. <br /> <br />USDA <br /> <br />Implementation was initiated in this unit in <br />1990. In 1993, 49 new contracts were approved <br />for a total of 140 contracts. There are <br />approximately 159 applications pending <br />approval. <br /> <br />Application of salinity reduction and wildlife <br />habitat replacement practices is well underway <br />in this area. The dominant practices are <br />side-roll sprinkler systems and underground <br />pipeline8 to replace many ofthe inefficient <br />surface flood irrigation systems on the <br />undulating fields. Gated pipelines, surge valves, <br />and other irrigation systems are also being <br />applied to improve surface irrigation systems. <br />During 1993, Reclamation installed piped <br />laterals to replace the Rocky Ford Lateral. This <br />action required many farmers within the service <br />area to immediately convert to gravity sprinkler <br />systems. Advanced interagency planning and <br /> <br />13 <br />