WSP08226

• File Number: 8276.500
• Description: Glenwood-Dotsero Springs Unit - Salinity Control Projects
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 12/1/1985
• Title: Preliminary Assessment of the Salt Tolerant Emergent Plant ‎(STEP)‎ Process for the Beneficial Use and Disposal of Saline Water -- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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...""
......
c")
',) acres of 1 to 3'1; slope exht within Meaa County, excludinE
~~ concentrated aEricultural areas. Several aitea appear attractive
'-,
~. near paliaade, Colorado, althouEh they require further inveatiEation.

Co..ercial Value

The value
that can
fro. the
resources

of
be
s-81 e
Bade

the STEP process to inveatora ia baaed upon caah flows
expected frOB operatinE a pollution control facility,
of product, and froa a ahare in the leaae riEhts to the
abailable to other businesaes because of the procesa.

Future, cash inflows fro. the production and sale of STEP crops were
forcast utilizinE a Monte Carlo approach, discountinE the unit value
of STEP crops by 25'1; below the historical average price of Alfalfa
hay in Colorado. The aost probable result of the aiaulated revenue
analysis was that 1,276 acres of STEP production pond area would be
utilized to yield 10,208 tons of feed-Erade hay at a price of
$53.66/ton for annual gross revenues of $547,930. According to 1985
Colorado Agricultural Statistics, 2,387,000 tons of Alfalfa hay were
produced in the State in 1984; 19.4'1; of that was produced in the
Southwest District of the State that includes Mesa and Garfield
counties. The STEP production ponds would thus need to capture about
2.2'1; of the Southwest Colorado aarket.

The aost probable result of the siaulated earninEs-before-tax
analysis was that about $160,000 would be earned froa the first year
crop and $174,500 frOB subsequent crops, the difference caused by
decreased costs in planting in the out-years.

In addition, the contract for operating the facility for the public
should yield around $106,000 per year. Carbon dioxide and space

TABLE III: EFFECT OF STEP PROCESS PERFORMANCE ON COST
EFFECTIVENESS (1985 $ PER TON OF SALT REMOVED)

Perforaance Variable

Best Case

Reference Case

Worst Case

Evapotranspiration
Rate (in/day)

0.52*

0.258 0.18
55.31 57.53
42.91 45.13
40,000 80,000
55.31 55.65
42.91 43.25
180 126
55.31 56.54
42.91 44.14

Mack Site, ($ per'ton)
Palisade Site, ($ per ton)

51. 93
39.53

Salinity, (agll TDS)

28,000

Mack Site, ($ per ton)
Palisade Site. ($ per ton)

55.02
42.62

Growth Season, days/year

360

Mack Site, ($ per ton)
palisade Site, ($ per ton)

52.84
40.44

* Reported as high as 1.5 in/day

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