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................................................