The Hoover Station reflects damages associated with the metropolitan areas
of Las Vegas and southern Nevada
Below Hoover Dam723 mg/L
The Parker Station reflects damages associated with the metropolitan
regions of southern California and central Arizona
Below Parker Dam 747 mg/L
The Imperial Station reflects damages associated with agricultural areas of
Imperial and Coachella in California and Yuma Arizona
At Imperial Dam879 mg/L
The Plan of Implementation
• Offset the effects of human-caused activities in the Upper Basin
• Maintain the numeric criteria thru 2030–Target objective – control 1.8 M tons/year–Reduce the economic damages
• Enactment of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (Public Law 93-320)
Salinity Control Act
• 1974 – PL 93-320 enacted–Title I – Addresses US commitment
to Mexico – Yuma Desalting Plant–Title II – Measures Upstream of
Imperial Dam• Authorized 4 units• Cost share of 25%
Title II Salinity Control ProgramAdministered by Reclamation
• Grand Valley
• Crystal Geyser (deauthorized 1984)
• Paradox Valley
• Las Vegas Wash
Grand Valley Unit
Paradox Valley Unit
Brine Disposal
Paradox Valley Unit
Interception/Injection
COLLECTIONWELLS
INJECTIONWELL
DoloresRiver
SALINE GROUNDWATER
The BLM Program
Control Salinity on Public Lands
Unified watershed assessmentcharacterization
Point source control (well-plugging)
Resources Management Plans
Nonpoint source control(rangeland management)
Title II Salinity Control Program
• 1984 Amendment- –Authorized 2 units, de-authorized 1–Authorized USDA’s on-farm salinity
control program–Cost share of 30%
Title II Salinity Control ProgramAdministered by Reclamation
• Lower Gunnison (Winter Water Replacement)
• McElmo Creek (Dolores Project)
Natural Resources Conservation Service
The USDA Program
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
– Technical Assistance to improve irrigation efficiency
– Financial assistance –
• Provides financial incentives of 75 to 90% of the cost
of the irrigation improvements
• Remaining costs paid by the producers
Title II Salinity Control Program
• 1995 Amendment–Created Reclamation’s Basinwide
Salinity Control Program•Cost share of 30%
• 1996 Amendment–Authorized Up-front Cost Sharing
Title II Salinity Control Program
Funding for Reclamation’s Basinwide and NRCS’s EQIP Programs
Appropriations 70%
Up-front Cost Sharing30%
85%Lower Colorado River
Basin Development Fund
15%Upper Colorado River
Basin Fund
Reclamation’s BasinwideSalinity Control Program
• Reclamation solicits new projects based on a competitive process open to the public – Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)– Applications ranked on cost effectiveness ($/ton)
and risk factors– Highest ranking applications receive grants for
construction of salinity control measures
• Most projects have been improving irrigation delivery systems
Basinwide Program Projects
• Big Sandy (4)
• Manila (1)
• Uinta Basin (23)
• Price-San Rafael (17)
• Paria (1)
Basinwide Program Projects continued
• Grand Valley (2)
• Lower Gunnison (12)
• McElmo Creek (1)
• San Juan (2)
Burns Bench Construction
Burns Bench Project, Jensen UT
Grand View Canal, Crawford CO
Red Cap ARRA Project, Duchesne UT
Uinta Basin, UT
Title II Salinity Control Program
• 2008 Amendment –Created the Basin States Program
• Basin States Program (BSP)–Reclamation administers the BSP in
consultation with the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council
–Amounts from the Basin Funds used for up-front cost sharing are now administered through the BSP.
Basin States Program (BSP)Reclamation administers the BSP with assistance from state agriculture agencies (SAG) and NRCS thru agreements– Projects will be selected thru a competitive process,
i.e. Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) or NRCS batching process.
– Projects that are too small for Basinwide Program and not eligible for NRCS’s EQIP.
– Ranked on cost effectiveness ($/ton) and other factors.
– Selected projects will be awarded agreements with the SAG or with Reclamation for construction of salinity control measures
Uinta Basin, UT
Habitat Replacement
Title II Salinity Control Program
Federal Programs• Bureau of Reclamation
– Lead Agency
• U.S.D.A.– Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Bureau of Land Management– Public Lands
• Support Agencies– Fish & Wildlife Service– Environmental Protection Agency– U.S. Geologic Service
Title II Salinity Control Program
Federal Agency
Tons of Salt per Year
Target Control by
2030
Controlled as of 2011
Remaining to Control
Reclamation 907,000 570,000 337,000
USDA-NRCS 839,000 589,000 250,000
BLM 126,000 126,000 Unknown
Total 1,872,000 1,285,000 587,000
Reclamation Program
ProgramTons of Salt per Year
Target Control by
2030
Controlled as of 2011
Remaining to Control
CRWQIP (Original Units)
401,000 351,000 50,000
Basinwide 506,000 219,000 287,000
Total 907,000 570,000 337,000