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PRESS RELEASE* * * * * *
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For a number of years the salt load carried by the Colorado River and its tributaries as i t flows through the Upper Basin states has been increasing. This fact is causing increased interstate and international concern as each s ub-sequent downstream user is subjected to a water of degraded quality. There are two reasons for this. First, good
quality water which is consumptivel y used by municipaliti es, commercial concerns, or plants is effectively removed from the system, thereby causing a salt concentrating effect. Secondly, water which is used for irrigation picks up salt as i t moves through the soil profile and groundwater aquifer systems. Much of this water returns eventually to the river with a higher dissolved solids (salt) concentration .
The salinity problem in the Colorado River Basin has received major national attention i n recent years. Initial attention towards alleviating the salinity problem has been directed at the Grand Junct1on, Colorado area because these irrigated lands are the largest contributor of salt in the basin. The entire salinity control program for the Colorado River Basin will require expenditures of l/2 - 1 billion
dollars, wi th initial construction funding anticipated during 1977.
During the past seven years, the Agricultural Engineering Department of Colorado State University has .been involved
with research in Color ado's Grand Valley which is designed to show that salinity can be controlled through improved on-farm water management. In other words, our approach has been to hit the problem at i ts source.
~uch of our research is of a demonstrative nature.
G1l1: d V<.~lley farmers within our study area work with us to
ic1prove irrigation practices, try advanced irrigation sys -tems such as sprinkler or trickle irrigation, schedule irri -gations, line water distribution channels, measure water flows, install drainage fields, etc . While decreasing the Colorado River salt load, these methods also benefit the
farmer through increasing crop yields and product quality, decreasing fertilizer and labor requirements, and conserving a limited natural resource, water .
The 1976 irrigation season will complete our research studies in Grand Valley. We will have spent $1.8 million during the eight years of our research with $750,000 being spent for irrigation improvements that directly benefit local farmers. These funds have been provided by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, che State of Colorado (the Legislature has specifically app=opriated funds for this program) , and local farmer s. Tt.e program will switch
from research to implementation in 1977. The Bureau of Reclamation and Soil Conservation Service are expected to expend more than $100 million in Grand Valley to control salinity, with $25-30 million for on-farm irrigation
improvements.
The impl ementation of the Colorado River Basin salinity
control program will quickly expand to include most of the
irrigated lands in the Upper Basin, which include western
Wyoming, eastern Utah, western Colorado, and northwestern
New Mexico.
On August 6 and 7, 1976, the Agricultural Engineering Department and the Cooperative Extension Service of
Colorado State University is sponsoring the first •Irrigation
Field Days" ever held in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
The one day program and field tour will be repeated on each
day. It' s our intention to acquaint Upper Colorado River
Basin farmers with the latest irrigation practices while
exposing them to available irrigation equipment. Farmers,
irrigators, and other interested parties are cordially
invited to attend. Further details can be obtained by
writing:
Irrigation Field Days
Agricultural Engineering Dept.
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Col orado 80523
