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<br />o <br />1',) <br />0) <br />1'\) <br /> <br />Water Quality Management Planning <br /> <br />Pursuantto Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, Colorado has developed a "Nonpoint Source <br />Assessment Report" ("NSAR") which identifies stream segments impacted by nonpoint source <br />pollution. The report recognized the impacts caused by salinity from nonpoint sources on several <br />stream segments and principally attributed the elevated salinity levels in those segments to <br />agricultural activities (i.e. irrigation and soil erosion due to grazing). It further recognized the <br />significance of the salinity control efforts which have been made pursuant to the Colorado River <br />Basin Salinity Control Act. The assessment report also recognized the need for development of best <br />management practices (BMPs) to control nonpoint source pollution, and a handbook ofBMPs was <br />prepared. This information is included in the biennial Section 305(b ) (of the CW A) report, "Status <br />of Water Quality in Colorado". The "Colorado Nonpoint Source Management Program", completed <br />by the State and approved by EP A, is intended to provide an implementation strategy for the future <br />treatment of water quality problems identified in the NSAR. The program sets forth the roles and <br />responsibilities of the various parties responsible for implementing the nonpoint source program in <br />Colorado. The program includes: a priority system for reviewing, ranking and recommending <br />nonpoint source control projects for funding and BMP's that can be utilized to achieve water quality <br />objectives. The program has been updated to include EPA's "9-Key Elements". <br /> <br />In the Colorado River Basin of Colorado there are four water quality planning regions. <br />Region 9 covers primarily the San Juan Basin portion of Colorado. Salinity control projects in this <br />area include McEhno Creek and portions of the Dolores Project. The Region 10 plan covers <br />primarily the Gunnison and Dolores River Basins. Salinity control projects in this region include the <br />Lower Gunnison and Paradox Valley units. Region 1 I includes the Colorado main stem below <br />Dotsero, and the lower reaches of the White and Yampa Rivers. Salinity control projects in this <br />region are the Grand Valley and Meeker Dome units. Region 12 is comprised primarily of the high <br />mountain headwaters of the Colorado River and produces little salt loading to the river system. <br />Regional plans direct salinity control efforts towards control of point sources and local control of <br />nonpoint sources in the form of urban runoff restrictions and contain lists of stream classifications <br />and the NPDES permits within each area. Qpportunities for salinity control have been identified in <br />the management plans for all areas of the Colorado River Basin within Colorado. Critical salt <br />yielding areas have been assessed by the USDA, the Colorado Soil Conservation Board, the local <br />soil conservation districts, and in some cases the Bureau of Land Management. The USDA's Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service and the WQCD' s staff cooperated in preparing a Unified Watershed <br />Assessment which identified watersheds to be targeted for water quality improvement projects. All <br />of the high salinity load contributing watersheds in western Colorado were assigned the highest <br />priority for the use of additional funds made available to the Nonpoint Source Program established <br />by Section 319 of the CW A. <br /> <br />Qther Activities <br /> <br />Colorado has continued its support of the basinwide approach to salinity control through its <br />participation in the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum and active promotion of <br /> <br />4-19 <br /> <br />,J <br />