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<br />INTERIOR'S ROLE
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<br />Federal coordination Is accomplished using the,lead
<br />agency concept The Secretary of the ~terior, acting
<br />through the Bureau of Reclamation, haSaM reSponsibility
<br />for Implementing satlnlty control measUres_ Interagency
<br />coordination is formalized through a seftes'of joint
<br />agreements executed at the Cabinet revel. Coordinatron at
<br />the field adminlstratlveltechnlcallevel i~ accomplished
<br />through the Colorado River InteragencY Salinity Control
<br />Committee.
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<br />Bureau 01 Reclamallon
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<br />Units authorized for construction are the Grand Valley,
<br />Paradox Valley, Crystal Geyser, and Laf; V~ Wash
<br />Units. The Crystal GeyserUnit, Utah, hqbeen_indeffnitely
<br />postponed because of poor cost--effecti..;ness: Las Vegas
<br />Wash Unit, Nevada, Is being reformulat(Kt because of
<br />changing ground water conditions. "
<br />The Grand Valtey Untt Stag& Onecon$tructlbn Is nearly
<br />complete. The Hlghllne canal lining In $tage One Is
<br />complete, as well as the construction of the Ueld station.
<br />The associated pipe lateral construction is expected to be
<br />finished for the 1983 Irrigation season. Results from Stage
<br />One monitoring are being evaluated bejore p.roceedlng
<br />with construction of therestof the unit. MPnitorlngthus far
<br />has shown an inltial annual reduction of 9,(XX) tons as a
<br />result of USDA and Reclamation effcirts I~Sta~ One area.
<br />The Grand Valley contributes an'aveGige of 580,00)
<br />tons of salt annually to the Colorado Ri~, a revision from
<br />earlier estimates of 780,00) tons annuallY. The change is a
<br />result of a Iong-tenn water and salt budg~ studY made by
<br />combining several study methods. Most oUhe salt is
<br />leached from the soli and underlying ~rine Shale by
<br />water delivery system losses and deep terrolatlon from
<br />agricultural areas. The total Grand'Vallet. ar~ combined
<br />USDA and Reclamation efforts areexpeQted to reduce the
<br />salt load by about 410,00) tons annualtt, wlth'an overatt
<br />effect of reducing saUnlty concentratton~at Imperial Dam
<br />by about 41 mg/L.
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<br />Studies on the remainder of the Gra~ Valley Unit are
<br />undelWay. Stage Two investigations' inclQde evaluation of
<br />various delivery systeni combinations a6d lining
<br />alternatives. Measures other than lining ere alSo being
<br />developed and evaluated. The USDA WQI continue to
<br />pursue onmnn improvements, includlngj upgrading of
<br />irrigation systems, related lateral dlstributlon systems, and
<br />irrigation water management. ,
<br />Plans to provide for Incidental w1ldllfe;habitat
<br />repiacement to compensate for losses nfsulting from the
<br />program are dependent upon oongressl,onal
<br />authorization.
<br />Paradox Valley In southwestern CoIor1(do isacottapsed
<br />salt anticline underlain by a salt dome, The dOme adds
<br />about 205,00) tons of salt annually to ttte Dolores River
<br />from saline ground water which originates in the valley.
<br />The untt Is designed to remove 180,lXX)(tons a year by
<br />pumping the saUne ground water (b'rine 9f 200,00) mg/L
<br />TOO) from shallow collection wells atonb the Dolores
<br />River, thus preventing It from surfa<:ing In the, r1verbed.
<br />Deep welllnjElCtlon has been evaluateq; as a.method of
<br />disposing of the brine and Is technically, fmvironmentally,
<br />and economlcally'attractive. After co"st~ction of an
<br />injection well, flltration plant, and.plpeUr(e to test the
<br />injection formation for disposal capacity, .deciSion will be
<br />made on whether to use deep well Injecition as' a
<br />permanent disposal method.
<br />Collection well field testing and verifi~t1on witt
<br />continue, although studies on evaporation Pond disposal,
<br />an alternative brine disposal method, h~e been
<br />suspended until more information is avaHilbleon deapwett
<br />injection.
<br />other units In the CRWQIP (Coloradq River W~ter
<br />Quality Improvement Program) are unda(studyatvarious
<br />stages of completion. They are categoriztct by the type of
<br />control anticipated in each unit. :
<br />Irrigation source control actIvItieI withln.Reclamatlon
<br />would reduce salt loading by Improving l!)igation delivery
<br />systems that curiently leach salt from mtrine shales and
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<br />other saline sources. The Lower Gunnison Basin and"
<br />McElmo Creek Units in Colorado; the Uinta Basin in Utah;
<br />and the Palo Verde Irrigation District Unit in Callfomia are
<br />irrigation sources being considered. Improvement of
<br />irrigation delivery systems in conjunction with USDA
<br />onfann practices in these areas appears viable and could
<br />reduce the river's salt load by about 1.0 million tons per
<br />year.
<br />The Colorado River Indian Reservation Unit
<br />investigations have been concluded becauae of limited
<br />salinity control opportunity,
<br />Point source control actIvttIee would remove salt from
<br />localized areas such as mineral springs, abandoned oil
<br />wens,' and geyserS. GtenwCXJd..Dotsero Springs and
<br />Meeker Dome UQ!ts In Colorado; LaVerkin Springs and
<br />Crystal Geyser Unlts'in Utan; Lower Virgin River Unit tn
<br />Arizona and Nevada; and the Las Vegas Wash Unit In
<br />Nevada are point sources. Three wells In the Meeker
<br />Dome area have been succE;lSSfuily plugged, according to
<br />early monitoring reports, stopping 8I;Ilt loading of about
<br />57,OOOtons annuatty. A preferred plan has been selected ift
<br />the Glenwood-Dotsel'o Springs area, which oould reduce
<br />the salt load by 314,000 tons annually.
<br />Because of poor cost-effectiveness or'lack of a viable
<br />control plan for the alternatives explored, investigations at
<br />LaVerkin Springs, Lower Virgin River, and Crystal Geyser
<br />Units have been concluded.
<br />Diffuse source control actIvItIea would Involve
<br />watershed management, land treatment, and the
<br />collection and disposal of Irrigation return flows. Utah's
<br />Dirty Devil and Price-San Rafael Rivers Units and
<br />Wyoming's Big Sandy River Unit are identified diffuse
<br />sources. Investigations of diffuse source units are
<br />examining a combination of irrigation improvements,
<br />vegetation and watershed management, and selective
<br />withdrawal and disposal of poor quality streamflows.
<br />An alternative plan fOr the Big Sandy River Unit, being
<br />oonsidered by the State of Wyoming, proposes removing
<br />saUna water by collection wells in thaspring and seeparea
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<br />WYO~NG
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<br />UNITS OF THE COLORAM
<br />RIVERWATER QIiJALITY
<br />IMPROVEMENT ~AOGRAM
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<br />of, the Big Sandy River and pumping the,water via a
<br />pipeline to a proposed ChevrOn fertilizer plant nea:l' Rock
<br />Springs. Other aspects of the plan require further 'study
<br />and support of industry.
<br />AssumIng that ,all agricultural source uiJjts and ttle
<br />Paradox Valley Unit aresuccess1ully implefttented;dl~
<br />and point source oontrol units would need, to reduce the
<br />river's salt load by an additional 1.0 to 1.6 million t6ns per
<br />year,
<br />SAlINE WATER USE AND DISPOSAl
<br />OPPORTUNmES
<br />A September 1981 Special Report suggests
<br />opportunitil}S for oollecting saline waters ithhe Cqlor8.do
<br />River Basin for use In the energy indust'Y~..Tha concepts .
<br />developed are ,alternatives to conventiornJ;I, structural
<br />control methods involving lined evaporattQn ponds ahd
<br />desalination projects.
<br />About 610,OOO.acre-feet of saline water per yeer could
<br />be collected fardlsposal or for use In ellEl'toY.
<br />development-for cooling coaI-flred powetplants and for
<br />use in coal transport pipelines-and for irldu$trlal
<br />pr~, Of speqial con.oom in th8.stl.IdY are 1eg".1 and
<br />Institutional, environmental, and cost-eharln9 IsSues.
<br />Total investments for desalting or evaporation PI the
<br />saline waters could cost from $4 bllllon to' bllliotl, while
<br />assistance to indust'Y'to aCcomplish the salneamount of
<br />salinity control through beneficial use ofthih water'Would
<br />require only 'about' one-fourth 'of that t~I"Federal'
<br />investment
<br />Action by the Congress to authorize and fund specific
<br />saline water use studies and Implementati9n actlVkles as
<br />well as expresSions of interest by potential users are.
<br />necessary steps in implementing these oonaejJts. .
<br />The AquatraIn j::Irofect evolved as one beneficial way.to
<br />use saline water. This ~t of dlvertingj"SaIlne water
<br />through a pipeline to carry coal in plastic OiIpsutes.to the
<br />Southwest Is being broadened to include Other
<br />teChnology options. One altenlative liworve8 a conCept at
<br />a single pipeline.that will move a coaVllq~t<karbOn~
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