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<br />'<j" ,0 <br />., ) <br />-. <br />"" <br />....-! <br /> <br />~ <br />'.-' <br />,-, <br />.,-- <br /> <br />DRAFT <br /> <br />BRIEFING PAPER <br />GRAND VALLEY UNIT, STAGE TWO, CRBSCP <br />PRIVATE CANAL AND LATERAL SYSTEMS <br /> <br />Purpose and Background <br /> <br />The Grand Valley Unit was authorized for construction by the Colorado <br />River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-320) as part of a <br />basinwide effort to maintain water quality in the Colorado River for use in <br />the United States and the Republic of Mexico. The Unit is located in west- <br />central Colorado along the reach of the Colorado river between the towns of <br />Palisade and Mack (see attached map). The purpose of the unit is to reduce <br />excessive salts entering the Colorado River caused by diversions and irri- <br />gation of the Grand Valley lands. <br /> <br />Stage Development <br /> <br />Stage One <br /> <br />Stage One encompasses about 10 percent of the Grand Valley agricultural <br />area and Stage Two the remaining 90 percent. Construction in the Stage One <br />area was essentially complete by the start of the 1983 irrigation season. <br />Construction included concrete lining 6.8 miles of the Government Highline <br />Canal and installation of 12 pipe laterals. Also completed were canal cross <br />drainage facilities, a moss and debris removed structure and the project field <br />station. Salinity and other environmental effects are being monitored to <br />determine project construction impacts and to predict the future effectiveness <br />of the program. <br /> <br />Stage Two plan <br /> <br />A course of action plan has been selected which provides for concrete <br />lining of open laterals in all areas of Stage Two except the Redlands, and <br />concrete lining the west end, middle, and'east end portions of the Government <br />Highline Canal. Construction of the middle portion and east end of the <br />Government Highline canal would be deferred until needed to meet the goals of <br />the salinity control program. ~ <br /> <br />The construction cost of Stage Two is estimated to be $140,710,000 in <br />January 1983 prices. About 40 miles of canal and 300 miles of laterals would <br />be lined. The salt load to the Colorado River would be reduced by about <br />138,700 tons per year which would produce a reduction in salinity concen- <br />tration at Imperial Dam of 14.1 mg/L. <br /> <br />Wildlife measures consisting of watering ponds and acqu1s1t1on of land to <br />compensate for wildlife habitat losses are under consideration by Congress. <br /> <br />1 <br />