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<br />d. Irrigation of new lands in the Fruitland Mesa area has been <br />reduced to lessen the impact on critical big game wintering area, but the <br />12,000 acres of new lands still presents a significant impact on big game <br />winter range that has not been resolved. <br /> <br />e. Increase of 2 to 4 ppm of salinity in the Colorado River <br />below Lake Mead would occur. The EPA has made an estimate of 5ppm and <br />this remains an unresolved issue. <br /> <br />f. Better access to Soap Creek will require a marina to be <br />constructed on the Soap Creek arm of Blue Mesa Reservoir to handle the <br />expected increase in recreation use. <br /> <br />Current Status <br /> <br />Advance planning studies were initiated in F.Y. 1965 and the <br />definite plan report was completed in 1967. The repayment contract <br />between the United States and the Fruitland Mesa Water Conservancy Dis- <br />trict was executed in 1969. Petitions for project irrigation have been <br />essentially completed. There has been a substantial reduction in service <br />to new land acreages to match water available. <br /> <br />Negotiations are under way for an archaeological survey of the <br />project area to be made by the University of Colorado for the National <br />Park Service. Assembly of data for an environmental statement and <br />preparation of a draft for the statement are in progress. Preconstruction <br />drilling at Soap Park Damsite was undertaken earlier in this fiscal year <br />and continued until inclement weather forced curtailment of this work. <br /> <br />The F.Y. 1974 program of $10,000, consisting of funds carried <br />over from F.Y. 1973, is to be used to determine the effect of the project <br />on the salinity of the Colorado River and to estimate the cost for facil- <br />ities to offset salinity effects of the project. A congressional appro- <br />priation for F.Y. 1973 in the amount of $500,000 to start construction of <br />the project is being held in budgetary reserve. <br /> <br />Replacement of two inadequate and failing siphons in the existing <br />Gould Canal was started in F.Y. 1972 and approximately 70 percent of the <br />work has been accomplished. The work is scheduled to be completed by <br />June 30, 1973, under a $362,274 contract. <br /> <br />Total investigation costs to June 30, 1972, including feasibil- <br />ity and advance planning studies, amount to $1,548,995. <br /> <br />-3- <br />