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<br />MAY 1982 <br /> <br />Wetland conservation and protection and water quality are areas of <br /> <br />national environmental concern. Where two areas of environmental concern <br /> <br />are involved, trade-offs are a valid consideration. Table 111-9 indicates <br /> <br />the acres of wetlands lost per 1,000 tons reduction in salt loading to the <br /> <br />Colorado River system. <br /> <br />Table 111-9. Anticipated Wetland Habitat Losses and Salt Reduction, By <br />Alternative Plans, McElmo Creek Salinity Control Study, Colorado, <br /> <br />Al ternati ve Wetland Sal t Reduc tion Wetland Losses (Ac) <br />Plan Losses (Ac) (1000 Tons) (ac per 1000 Tons Salt Reduction) <br />1 185U Gain in Salt <br />2 1725 13 133 <br />3 1750 24 73 <br />4 1725 37 47 <br />5 1750 38 46 <br />6 1BOO 27 67 <br /> <br />Programs of Other Agencies <br /> <br />The HcPhee Dam, being constructed under the USBR's Dolores Proj ect, <br /> <br />will provide storage capacity of 381,000 acre feet and will provide <br /> <br />supplemental water to 26,300 acres and a full irrigation supply for 35,360 <br /> <br />acres of new land. Farmers in the Montezuma Valley may continue operations <br /> <br />as in the past or they may purchase project water. <br /> <br />This USDA study assumed no water shortages for irrigated land treated <br /> <br />under the Salinity Control Program and claims no onfarm benefits as a result <br /> <br />of water available from the Dolores Project. The effect of converting dry <br /> <br />cropland to irrigation outside of the ~kElmo Creek drainage area and the <br /> <br />effect of the proposed Towac Canal through the Montezuma Valley were not <br /> <br />evaluated in this study. It was assumed that farming methods in the <br /> <br />Montezuma Valley will not change because of the Dolores Project. <br /> <br />III-29 <br /> <br />0018G5 <br />