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<br />o <br />'.~) <br />.... <br />OJ <br />-- <br />l.\:l <br /> <br />in returning to the river, becomes a major source of the dissolved salt load of <br /> <br />the Colorado River. In flowing through the Valley, the Colorado River salt load <br /> <br />is substantially increased, in the range of 700,000 to 1 million tons a year. <br /> <br />It is estimated that about 1/3 of this total increase would Occur in the absence <br /> <br />of any activity of man, and the balance is primarily a result of irrigation <br /> <br />activities within the Valley, <br /> <br />The salinity control project under investigation for Grand Valley would have <br /> <br />two components: irrigation scheduling and management measures, and irrigation <br /> <br />facilities improvement that would reduce seepage losses into the underground. The <br /> <br />irrigation scheduling program involves the ~stablishment of a computer program to <br /> <br />schedule times and amounts of water to be applied to crops on each individual <br /> <br />farm based on analysis of soil moisture deficiencies and other relevant data. <br /> <br />This program has been underway on a trial basis in Grand Valley for over a year <br /> <br />now. Some 7,000 acres are currently in the scheduling program, and it is planned <br /> <br />to continue to expand this program. After the program is established over the <br /> <br />~ntire valley, it is anticipated that the local farmers will pay all the costs. <br /> <br />Studies are currently being made in Grand Valley of irrigation systems to <br /> <br />identify potential consolidation of canals and laterals, the lining of these <br /> <br />canals and laterals, and other improvements to existing water conveyance systems <br /> <br />needed to reduce water loss to the underground. Construction costs for these <br /> <br />improvements are estimated to be about $61 million, and the annual operation and <br /> <br />maintenance costs will be met largely by the local irrigators. The volume of <br /> <br />salts that would be removed from solution by irrigation scheduling and systems <br /> <br />improvements is estimated to be at least 200~000 tons a year. <br /> <br />LaVerkin Springs, Utah <br /> <br />The LaVerkin Springs are located along the banks and in the channel of the <br /> <br />:;..1 <br /> <br />W.--'----'.il <br />