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FWS participation in the planning process for the salinity control program is provided through a variety of planning/working/coordinating interactions with Reclamation, SCS, BPA, BLM, the Forum, ,state agencies, Indian tribes and the general public. Lists of threatened and endangered species that may occur in the salinity control project areas are provided by the FWS. Biological opinions are formulated by the FWS for projects where threatened or endangered species may be affected. Environmental Impact Statements and biological assessments. The Salt Lake City Field Office provides the overall program coordination for the Service. Controversy has arisen over the anticipated effects of salinity control measures on wetlands. Replacing the loss of irrigation-induced wetlands may result in conflicts between the primary objective of salinity control, protection of water quality, and other regulatory programs requiring the replacement of wetland values lost. Much of the salt load is attributed to seepage from leaking irrigation water distribution systems and deep percolation from inefficient onfarm irrigation. This seepage and deep percolation also provides the source of water for many of the irrigation-induced wetlands in the salinity project areas. As seepage and deep percolation are reduced, some of the irrigation- induced wetlands will be unavoidably lost. The implementation of USDA salinity control projects has made apparent the conflict between legislation authorizing the USDA salinity control program and wetland protection and mitigation requirements of NEPA, Executive Order 11990 and USDA policy. P.L. 98-569 directs USDA to implement a voluntary, not mandatory, program to replace incidental fish and wildlife values foregone. Voluntary programs to date have not fully replaced anticipated fish and wildlife values foregone in USDA projects that are being implemented. This conflict has resulted in disputes between the states and USDA on one hand and FWS and BPA on the other. Resolution of this dispute must be reached in order for the USDA salinity control projects to achieve full salt reduction goals. Communication and cooperation among FWS, USDA, EPA, Reclamation and the states is necessary in order to accomplish satisfactory progress. Geolol!ieal Survev The Geological Survey's Water Resources Division provides and analyzes hydrologic information to assess the Nation's water resources. Programs are developed with cooperation and financial support from state, local and other federal agencies. The programs provide hydrologic and geochemical information for evaluation of surface and ground water systems as well as for management and policy decisions. . , To provide information required by the federal, state and local agencies to address Colorado River water quantity and quality issues, the Water Resources Division operates and maintains a network of about 520 stream gaging stations and 140 water quality stations in the Colorado River Basin. Streamflow and water-quality information from these stations provide input to the hydrologic database for Reclamation's Colorado River Simulation System. In 4-12