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<br />l'\.'l <br />VI <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />~ ImplementaIlon <br /> <br />P~l salln,ityoontrotprojectirnpl9mentationactivities <br />are balrfg accomplished VSing existing USDA authorities. <br />Tho ~lmp~latlon projects underway are Grand <br />Valley ( Itia, "'d, In 1979) and Uln,ta Basin (started In 1960). <br />l'heee plemilnlation projeCt$ to decrease salt IQads 10 <br />the eotbTado River focus primarily upon onfarm irrigation <br />system~mp~ts, related latef'al delivery system <br />im~ts; and onfarm Irrigation water management <br />==',*toi~ 'm"tion.mo;"",..",dto """" <br /> <br />T aieIItlw1celor~nlng,daslgn,and <br />Instal _ of Onfarm Irrigation systems improvements <br />and on~rm water management 1$ provided bySCS under <br />the reQ~lar 50s: conservation technical 88$lsIllnce <br />progmm,FundlngforllnBnellllalllltancetopl'O'.'lde <br />lancrowt.ercost-sharesupportforlnstallatlonolinigation <br />water rdanagernent system Improvements and related <br />salinity ~Irol moosures-Is provlded ,by the Agricultural <br />Stabll~tion and Conservation Sel'\llce through the ACP <br />~~ra.I Cpnservatlon Program). Educational <br />and 8$Slstance Is prO\'ided through funds <br />alloca~ by ttie Extension Service and the State <br />Cooperjtive Extension ServIoes of Utah and Colorado. <br />EducatlOnal895istance is necessary to Inform farmers and <br />~ about. the salinity cOntrol projects, new <br />Iechnol9gles. and how improVed inigatlon ~ter <br />~t ~n benefit IndMdual farmers and <br />~ Colorado Rlller water users. <br /> <br />R....... lIIld DemonatraIIon <br /> <br />The ~6pfnen1 M:d testing of new technology, <br />lm~ iniQ4tion equipment, and different inigatlon <br />tecnniQges are vitally important research actMtles <br />pl'9S9fltty being funcled by the Agricultural Research <br />SeNlcetAdditl9nal research support Is being provided by <br />the CoQpen!tiiJe State Research Service through the <br />ColoracJo and Utah agricultural experiment stations. <br />S1gr)iflCilnfproQress Is being made through research <br />efforttl &\nd demonstre:tlon sites within the two <br />imp~tatioO projects (Grand Valley and Uinta Basin). <br /> <br />Monitbrlng lIIld EvoluotIon <br /> <br />SCS ~ major respons\l:illity for monitoring and <br />evalUlll.itlg the progress and impacts of onfarm salinity <br /> <br />The .. Vetde IntgalIon DIItrk:t Unit speCIal report <br />conclucles that about 10 percent of the Dlstricfs 295 miles <br />of canafe,and laterals (about 20 miles) could be lined under <br />thesal~~ reduction program for a total constructio:nq>st <br />of !\bcl4lS17 million. The20mllasofcanal$wouldbe lined <br />in conJ9nctlOl'\ wIth,oofarm practices (onlarm costs-$4 <br />mml~~ and tqgether would decrease the salinity at <br />Imperilfl Oam by about 8 ml1L. The District also <br />expreIlIfadan 1ntefe8t In rehabilitating the remaining 275 <br />miles of cana/$ and laterals wtth jhe -costs: outside the <br />scope of the salinity control programs being repaid by the <br />District: <br />PIOtei:t W_ Vel_ <br />, <br />Wildltfe habitat which has developed as a result of <br />Irrigatiqn.systlim Io&$lI$ is an Important resource. This <br />habIlat,iln an areaotherwisevoid of signifl.cahtvegetation! <br />~ cover and food for many, small mammals and <br />blrds.fltessurestomalnt!iinwildllfehabitathavelncraased <br />with g~ In human population. People deslreareas,for <br />hunting, fishing, and for the opportunity to obsef"'EI birds <br />and rnElInmals. <br />Ally ~tIOn in wlldlne habitat a$$ociatei:l with <br />Improvltlginig8tlonsystemsforsalinityoontrotraloos <br />conoems from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServIce anq the <br />State ~ and game departments. The aPProach to the <br />consenotl,tioo 8fld en~cem~t of wildlife values' is an <br />Importaht oonslderatlon.ln the local acceplabitityof <br />"".riO~~~~its In the salinity control program. <br />In roqunt years, the Department of the Interior has <br />su~leglslatloritoprovidesuchauthority..Itis <br />expectej:lthat the Forum will sponsor legislation beforethe <br />cUf11lnt hasslon of Congress to address this Issue. <br />Strear\.lIneUSDA Onfilnn Progl8ll1 <br />Whl[$xisting USDA program authorities have provided <br />an oppdnunity to initiate a Colorado River aallnlty control <br />progrant there are numerous'_reasons and specific <br />clrcumsfanoes unique to sallnlty control that justify a <br />separe~ tailor-made program; <br />In addition. USDA onlarm and Reclamation off-farm <br />CiIJl81 ar\d lateral Improvement programs need to be <br />'meted concurrently because of the <br />in onshlps of off.farm distribution systems to <br />onfann ITfgallon water management systems. <br />Cost-shfire restrictions and limitations through, existing <br /> <br />control actMties. Umited funding has restricted the scope <br />of eariier monitoring actMtloo; however, more thorough <br />and comprehensive monitoring- plans have been <br />developed and are being Implemented. <br />Interagency coordination within USDA is maintained <br />through a USDA Salinity Control Coordinating <br />COmmrttee. <br /> <br />WHERE TO NOW? <br /> <br />Pursue Agrlcul\\lral Sou.... Unl1s <br /> <br />Wi!h 37 percent of theCotora<:lo Rivel'saIlnitysouroElS <br />attributed to inigatedagricolture, it isobviouslylmportant <br />for both Reclamation and USDA to pursuesallnity control <br />from agricultural source units. Seepage of irTigation water <br />from canal and lateral distribution systems, over..Jnigatlon, <br />and excesaIve deep percolation are the primary causes of <br />salt loads from Irrigated agricultural areas. <br />Bureau 01 Reclamatlon actMtlesarefocusec:t primarily <br />uporl the major canals and off.farm lateral distribution <br />systems. Through canal and Isteml ditch Iinlngorpipellne <br />convsfSions, seepage from distribution systems can be <br />nearty eliminated. However, the type and nature of <br />improvements may affect the onfarm irTigation system <br />improvements which may be undertaken. <br />. USDA onfann _assistance addresses Improvements to <br />, thelrrlgationsyslems,metI'lOdSofirrigation,-andlncreases <br />in Irrigation efficiencies through Improved water' <br />management. As lnigation effIclencles increase, deep <br />percolation Is reduced; and subSequentsatt loadings to <br />thO river are decreased. ActIvities of the USDA,onfarm <br />program are compl&mentary to the- Reclamation saiinity <br />control effornl. USDA also provides asslstanca for <br />improvIng those related off-farm lateral distribution <br />syst9mS not addressed by Reclamation. <br />Reclamation has neariy completed plan formulation on <br />four agricultural souroe units currently under <br />investlgatl~ower Gunnlson BasIn Unit (Stage 1), <br />Uinl8. Basin Unit (Stage 1), McElmo Creek Unit, and Palo <br />Verde lnigation District Unit. Reports presenting the status <br />and the estimated oonslrUctlon oostsoftttetentatlveplans <br />were reIeesEId In 1981. Completion of planning reports and <br />associated NEPA compliance, prec:onstnJction planning, <br />congressional authorization, and funding are required <br />before constructlon can begin. <br /> <br />programs have also slowed the progress of the salinity <br />control.program. Annual cost-share limitations pel" larmer <br />and inability to provicle linanclal assistance to irrigation <br />districts or companies have been major problems. Cost. <br />sharing needs to be uniquelytallored to the needs of the <br />Colorado River salinity control program. legislation <br />Introduced In the last session of Congress would have <br />authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to'develop and <br />Implement a special Colorado River salinity control <br />program. <br /> <br />Pursue Benellclal Use of SalIne W..... <br /> <br />Most of the COITent stJtlCtural methods of salinity <br />control, such as desalting and llnedevaponilion pondsfor <br />point and diffuse saltsouroes, are proving expensive when <br />compared to inigaUon Improvements. The_refore, <br />development of alternatiVe beneficial uses of saUne water <br />and innovative measures to reduce salinityc:Onoentratlons <br />are necessary. <br />By resolution dated ~tember 12, 1980, the Forum <br />aoopteQ a policy recommending that cOsts 'otuslngsaline <br />watei$ in lieu of fi'esh waters be undelWrltlen as a part of <br />the salinity control aCtivities wherever cost-effective. The <br />Basin States suggest that the Secretary of the Interior be <br />provided authority under th6 Salinity Control Act to enter <br />intoc:Ost-sharing coritraCtswilh industrial W8ter users In <br />the ColOrado River Basin to offset any InCf'9menl1il. . <br />additiOnal costs of using saline water In lleu of freshwater <br />whei"69tichundertakingsarecost-effectivefromasallnity <br />control. perspective. <br /> <br />Complete Financial Arrangements <br /> <br />This' basinwide problem has regional as well as national <br />impacts. The program requires e<x>peratlon of the 8a!lfn <br />States and Federal Government The current <br />Administration's economic philosophy is for the <br />beneficiaries to take the lead both financially and <br />authoritatively to solve resource management problems. <br />In order to Implement the program, equitable financial <br />support will continue to bea necessarycomponentofthe <br />implementation plan. <br />In recognition of this jofnteffort forcontrolling salinity In <br />the Colorado River, the 1974 Colorado River Basin Salinity <br />Control Act.allocated the costs of salinity conb'olforthe <br />fourauthortzed:units to be 75 perCent paid by Federal <br />nonrelfT!bursable funds and 25 percent repaid from the <br /> <br />The" LOW8l"G~ BalIn Unit ~us report and <br />F.easibillty Report/Drafl Environmen'\ill $tat8ment <br />Sddressed the UncOmpahgre Vall9'ij>ortlon 91.,e Lower <br />Gunnlsor1 Basin. The balance of ttwf B8s1n Would be <br />studlEid later. The ~mmended pl@lCallsfifths <br />elimination of wint9!'water deI~"th~P__~o8nal <br />system and lining ab6ut ~ mUes ()l canalalll'ldJalet$ <br />whiCh would reduce the salinity at'!mper\al pam &bout <br />15.2 mglL. Based on January 1981prtces, total <br />construction costs are estimated at $141 million (revIsecI <br />costs shown in feasibility report). This /8SU1tS in a cost- <br />effectiveness of abOul $702,000 for Eiach mgit. ,of salinity <br />reductiOn at Impllrl8l.Dam. USing the' new CRBs formula <br />for calculating, the salinity reduction Is 14 mgIl with a <br />cost-eftectiveness of $762,000. <br />The tentative plan described In ~ Unta EIaM'l Unit <br />staItA report Irwo/vl;ls selectively llnlflg those portions of <br />the canal and la~ dlStributionsystWnwhich:are(Tl8klng <br />the largest contrlbutionstott)essllriitvlewlS!nthearea. <br />That plan calls for 11~lng certain can$Is and la_terals which <br />would reduce the salinity concentrattpns at Imper1$l Dam <br />from 4- to 10 mgIL., Total COn8tructlQn costf went <br />estimated between $28and $89 mllllQn, b8gedonJanuary <br />1981prices,excluslVeofthewildllf8'plan,resultlnglna <br />cost-effectiveness mvge of $57O,OOO.to $962,<<:0 for each <br />mg/l of salinity reduction at Imperlcd Dam. <br />ReClamation 1$ working closely WIth SCS indevelop!ng' <br />acoord_lnatedpl'QQiBmintheareainuefforta'arebelng " <br />c1osely'coordlnated with ReclamatiOn'S or\g9lng Central <br />.Utah project. Recant studies haw.~ cori"n9d to a <br />smaller8l'8$.. Currenlly, about 59 rrill!;s of ~1s and <br />IateniIs haVe bElen 8eIected for linlog,wilh a resulting <br />reduction 1n salinity ooncentrations ,Qf 2.4 mgtL. and a <br />cost-eftectlvenss of $900,900. <br />The McEJm() CNIk. Unit status ~rt outlined three <br />oonc:eptual plans involving canal ~,latefalllnlng In <br />combination with onfarm impr<Mlf'l'ients. The total <br />construction costs of the canalllnlng.(Stage 1), portion fer <br />the ~ plan Is expected to bfj,:.approxlmately $35 <br />million with a salinity concentration'Alductton of about <br />6.1 ~L at Imperili! Dam. <br />More recent studIeS have indicalEiil that tI)8 preferred <br />plan Is to combine two canals and 10:1109 several sectlons <br />ofOthercanals, Thlsplanllasacons!ructIoncb$tofabout <br />$25 rtiillion~ a Slilinlty fflduction 01 acput 2.4- rng/l, and a <br />cost-effectlveness'of$ 769,00:1. <br /> <br /> <br />basin funds derived -hpm the sale Of hydtOPQWer. Of the <br />states' share, 85 percent will be tepl(lld from the Lower <br />Basin fund arld'15 percent from tM:Upper Basin fund. <br /> <br />ContInue Progl8ll1 Imp/enjOInlallOllln FY <br />1983 <br /> <br />Planning Investigations will contl()Ue to relIi1e plans on <br />lnigatlon Source control unltsas'".,1I as otho/unlta to <br />define the most cost~ tTl98lI:i;rres 8$ funding <br />permits Construction on Grand ValleY Stagli Ooe wlll <br />continue; preconstriJctlon actIvities"(deep w911 Injection <br />testing) will continue on Paradox V4l16y Unit; and <br />reformulation plshs-will continue ortthe Las Vegaq lNaah <br />Unit. USDAonfarm im'plementatlonwl1l continue In Grand <br />Valley and Uinta Basin salinity cOn~1 piojec;ts. <br />The Forumhall indicated ItWilloorltinuetorieekW/lystQ <br />exp&i!1te progrem lmple:mentatioi. to maintain quality of <br />CotoradoRlverwateratthe1972hl$tortcal~asthe <br />Basin States continue to develop tIi8lr compact- <br />. apportIoned waters. - <br /> <br />F:or questiOns concerning projects ~ In this <br />newsletter. please contact the PubllC-AffejfS OffiCe In the <br />Region responslb/$ for that project. <br />BUre&lJofReclamatlon <br />Upper Colorado RegionaJ Office <br />P.O. Box 11568 <br />SaltLakeCIty,Utah 84147 <br />Telephone: <br />Commercial: <br />Bu~uofRectamatlon <br />lower Colorado Regional Office <br />P.O. Box 427 <br />Bouf4er City. Nevada 89005 <br />Telephone; FTS 500-7420 <br />Comrrierclal: 7~2{13-.8420 <br />For answers to ~ quesUons otitemsyou would like <br />to see Included In SALINITY UPDAte, Wrft8 to: <br />Editor, SALINITY UPDATE, 0-1000- <br />ColoradO RIvef Watel: Quality Office <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />P.O.Box2f1XJ7 <br />Denver Federal Centar <br />Denver,CoIorado S0225 <br />Telephone: <br />Commercial; <br /> <br /> <br />T <br /> <br />~; c <br /> <br /> <br />FTS,58I>-5403 <br />eo"-524-S400 <br /> <br /> <br />FTS 234:-4180 <br />303-234.4180 <br /> <br />VIHf'il f() NOW~ <br />Uf.IIIII~,_c~_"""'_c, "~"'l! ~ _- "c ' <br />