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QUALITY of WATER COLORADO RIVER BASIN Progress Report No. 21 U.S. Department of the Interior January 2003

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QUALITY of WATER COLORADO RIVER BASIN Progress Report No. 21 U.S. Department of the Interior January 2003 QUALITY OF WATER COLORADO RIVER BASIN Progress Report No. 21 U.S. Department of the Interior January 2003 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... 3 AUTHORIZATION FOR REPORT .............................................................................................. 3 LEGAL ASPECTS ....................................................................................................................... 4 Water Quantity........................................................................................................................ 4 Water Quality .......................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 2 - DESCRIPTION OF BASIN....................................................................................... 8 CLIMATE..................................................................................................................................... 8 HYDROLOGY.............................................................................................................................. 8 RESERVOIR STORAGE........................................................................................................... 10 GEOLOGY AND SOILS ............................................................................................................ 11 CHAPTER 3 - CAUSES AND IMPACTS OF SALINITY ............................................................... 13 CAUSES OF SALINITY............................................................................................................. 13 Agricultural Sources of Salinity ............................................................................................. 13 Natural Sources of Salinity.................................................................................................... 15 Municipal and Industrial Sources of Salinity.......................................................................... 15 Consumptive Use of Water Increases Salinity...................................................................... 15 Energy Exploration and Development................................................................................... 17 Erosion .................................................................................................................................. 18 EFFECTS OF WATER QUALITY ON WATER USERS ........................................................... 20 Economic .............................................................................................................................. 20 Health.................................................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 4 – TITLE I SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM .......................................................... 23 Coachella Canal Lining.............................................................................................................. 24 Protective and Regulatory Pumping .......................................................................................... 24 Yuma Desalting Plant................................................................................................................ 25 Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District ...................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 5 - TITLE II SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM .......................................................... 31 U.S. Bureau of Land Management............................................................................................ 32 U.S. Department of Agriculture ................................................................................................. 35 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation......................................................................................................36 Program Summary................................................................................................................ 36 Big Sandy River Unit ............................................................................................................. 42 Blue Springs Unit .................................................................................................................. 43 Colorado River Indian Reservation Unit................................................................................ 43 Dirty Devil River Unit ............................................................................................................. 44 Glenwood-Dotsero Springs Unit............................................................................................ 44 Grand Valley Unit .................................................................................................................. 45 Land Retirement.................................................................................................................... 47 La Verkin Springs Unit ..........................................................................................................49 Las Vegas Wash Unit ........................................................................................................... 49 Lower Gunnison Basin Unit................................................................................................... 50 Lower Gunnison Basin Unit, North Fork Area....................................................................... 51 Lower Virgin River Unit .........................................................................................................52 Mancos Valley Unit................................................................................................................ 53 McElmo Creek Unit - Dolores Project ................................................................................... 53 Meeker Dome Unit ................................................................................................................54 Palo Verde Irrigation District ................................................................................................. 55 Paradox Valley Unit............................................................................................................... 56 Price-San Rafael Rivers Unit ................................................................................................ 58 San Juan River Unit .............................................................................................................. 60 Selenium Studies .................................................................................................................. 60 Sinbad Valley Unit ................................................................................................................. 62 Uinta Basin Unit .................................................................................................................... 63 Virgin Valley Unit ................................................................................................................... 64 CHAPTER 6 - SALINITY CONDITIONS ....................................................................................... 65 FACTORS INFLUENCING SALINITY....................................................................................... 65 Reservoir Storage ................................................................................................................. 66 Water Use by Agriculture and Municipal & Industrial Users ................................................. 67 Salinity Control ...................................................................................................................... 71 HISTORIC SALINITY CONDITIONS......................................................................................... 72 NATURAL VARIATION IN SALINITY........................................................................................ 72 COMPLIANCE WITH THE SALINITY STANDARDS................................................................ 73 SALINITY CONTROL NEEDS .................................................................................................. 74 REFERENCES CITED .................................................................................................................. 75 GENERAL REFERENCES............................................................................................................ 77 APPENDIX A – SALINITY DATA.................................................................................................. 83 TABLES Table 1 - Comparison of River Basin Drainage and Runoff .......................................................... 10 Table 2 - Quantified Sources of Salt Loading................................................................................ 14 Table 3 - Average Annual Water Use 1981-90.............................................................................. 16 Table 4 - WMIDD Irrigation Efficiency ...........................................................................................29 Table 5 - Salt Retained on BLM Lands (tons per year) ................................................................. 34 Table 6 - USDA Salinity Control Program Summary ..................................................................... 35 Table 7 - "Original" Bureau of Reclamation Salinity Control Units................................................
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