Hydrosalinity Impacts of Conservation Measures in the Sevier River Basin

The Sevier River Basin is a water short basin wherein upstream diversions not consumptively used become the water right for downstream users. The diversion-return cycle occurs several times as the stream travels from its mountain source areas to the terminal lake at the lower end of the basin. This study dealt with the proposed implementation of conservation measures which would wawste less diverted water and allow for irrigation of additional acres. The objective was to predict the hydrosalinity impacts of the implementation of these measures. The results indicated that increased consumptive use in the upper areas would decrease the water supply but would only increase the salinity by 2-300 mg/l. However, the salinity increase in the lower basin from additional use caused the salinity levels to increase significantly and the water supply to reduce significantly. The results came from the application of a hydrosalinity model to the upper subbasins. Some problems were encountered while predicting outlfows over a 14 year period because the data relationship did not seem to remain constant for that period. Additional investigation of taht anomoly would shed more insight to the problem

Erosion Inhibitor Performance Evaluation Under Simulated Wind and Rain

Introduction: Increasing public awareness of the desireability of protecting the environment from soil erosion caused by wind and water has centered attention on large construction projects such as highways and housing subdivisions, as well as on individual building sites and parking lots. If unattended, sediment produced from these areas pollutes surface water, restricts drainage, fills reservoirs, damages adjacent land, and upsets the natural ecology of lakes and streams. The search continues for products and practices that will prevent of lessen the amount of sediment leaving construction sites. Products currently in use include chemical as well as organic materials, and they are applied with barying degrees of success. Many designed to stabilize the unprotected soil for a long enough period of time for vegetation to become established are in wide use and are quite effectives (Clyde et al. 1978). Moreover, applying organic material to the soil surface around shallow-rooted crops has been a cultural practice for many years (Russell 1961). Janick (1963) summarized the effects of mulching as conservation of soil moisture, reduction of surface runoff and erosion, reduction of evaporation, and possible control of weeks. others (Borst and Woodburn 1942; Duley 1929) have indicated the value of mulches in reducing runoff and erosion. Mulching has been reported as superior to other treatments for reducing soil and water losses and stabilizing bare slopes before grass is established (swandson et al. 1965). Gilbert and Davis (1967) and Blaser (1962), in studies of highway slope stabilization, found mulches improved seed germination and seed;omg grpwtj bu conserving moisture and protecting highway slopes against erosion. Many materials have been evaluated for use as a mulch, including bark, wood wastes, soybean residues, wheat straw, and seaweed (Bollen and Glennie 1961; Kidder et al. 1943; Latimer and Percival 1947). McKee et al. (1964) found wheat straw to be one of the best mulches, particularly when used to aid vegitation establishment on steep cut slopes of highways. Osborne and Gilbert (1978) also demonstrated that shredded hardwood bark mulch provided adequate erosion control on highway slopes. The objectives of the present study was to evaluate, using simulated rainfall and wind, the effectiveness of various mulches and tackifiers for controlling erosion. Results of these tests are comparable to those obtained by the Utah Water Research Laboratory for CONWED in 1979 in that they wre generated in the same test facility on similar soil, using identical conditions of slope and rainfall rate

Evaluation of Selected Mulches and Specialty Erosion Control Products Under Simulated Rain

Introduction: Utilizing a rainfall simulator, a sunlight simulator, and a wind generator, the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL), Utah State University (USU), completed in 1979 and 1981 a series of evaluations of erosion control products for CONWED Corporation. Increasingly more commercial products for controlling erosion are being produced nationally and there remains a need to evaluate the effectiveness of these, one against another, in order that potential users may make cost-effective decisions in their use. CONWED recognizes this need and has funded the comparative testing of its own products and some of those of leading competitors throughout the country. The objective of the study presented herein was to evaluate under the rainfall simulator the effectiveness of CONWED Hydro Mulch mixed with each of three different commerical products used as tackifiers, Terra Tack I, M-Binder, and Hydro Bond. The study included also the evaluation of three specialy erosion control products, also the evaluation of three specialty erosion control products, CONWED netting, Lud low jute blanket, and American Excelsior blanket

Evaluation of Particular Mulches for Fostering Plant Growth and Inhibiting Erosion (Phase 2)

Introduction: Increasing public awareness of the desireability of protecting the environment from soil erosion caused by wnid and water has centered attention on large construction projects such as highways and housing subdivisions, as well as on individual building sites and parking lots. If unattended, sediment produced from these areas pollutes surface water, restricts drainage, fills reservoirs, damages adjacent land, and upsets the natural ecology of lakes and streams. The search continues for products and practices that will prevent or lessen the amount of sediment leaving construction sites. Products currently in use include chamical as well as organic materials, and they are applied with varying degrees of success. Many designed to stabilize the unprotected soil for a long enough period of time for vegetation to become established are in wide use and are quite effective (Clyde et al. 1978). Moreover, applying organic material to the soil surface around shallow-rooted crops has been a cultural practice for many years (Russell 1961). Janick (1963) summarized the effects of mulching as conservation of soil moisture, reduction of surface runoff and erosion, reduction of evaporation, and possible control of weeks. Others (Borst and Woodburn 1942; Duley 1939) have indicted the value of mulches in reducing runoff and erosion. Mulching has been reported as superior to other treatments for reducing soil and water losses and stabilizing bare slops before grass is established (Swanson et al. 1065). Gilbert and David (1967( and Blaser (1962), in studies of highway slope stabilization, found mulches improved seed germination and seedling growth by conserving moisture and protecting highway slopes against erosion. Many materials have been evaluated for use as a mulch, including bark, wood wastes, soybean residues, wheat straw, and seaweed (Bollen and Glennie 1961; Kidder et al. 1943; Latimer and Percival 1947). McKee et al. (1964) found wheat straw to be one of the best mulches, particularly when used to aid vegetation establishment on steep cut slopes of highways. Osborne and Gilbert (1978) also demonstrated that stredded hardwood bark mulch provided adequate erosion control on highway slopes. A previous study conducted by the Utah Water Reseach Laboratory evaluated, using simulated rainfall and sunlight, the effectiveness of various fiber mulches for controlling erosion to facilitate the establishment and growth of barley on a 2:1 (50 percent) slope. The objective of the present study was to perform similar evalutations of additional mulches

New Concepts For Preliminary Hydropower Design: The Powermax Slope, Binary Turbine Sizing, and Static Regain

In Utah during the 1960s, the cost of producing electrical energy was as much, or in some cases more, by hydroelectric generation than by plants using steam from coal fired boilers. The relatively high hydropower cost was generally attributed to maintenance and replacement costs associated with plants that had been build in the 1920s. Utah Power & Light Company during the 1960 period decided not to renew power licenses and to abandon many small hdyroplants. Since 1973, rising coal and related fossil fuel costs have caused steam generation costs to accelerate and have made hydroelectric generation relatively more attractive. However, the capital cost of replacing deteriorated pipelines and restoring plants to production capability is high, and the prospect of large capital investment during periods of high interest rates creates a hesitancy to renovate existing or to construct new small hydro units. The cost analysis to replace abandoned plants or to construct new plants has been generally based on restoring an existing configuration or building to design standards in use at the time of the original structure. The traditional design method was to design a pipeline on a flat slope with a relatively large pipe diameter. This method maximized head, but minimized the flow. The resultant energy was therefore less than the potential, but constant. This method also confined the variations in flow to a range that could be handled by a single, or the most two, variable geometry turbines. The flow point on the typical flow duration curve for western mountain streams where the ratio of maximum to minimum flow variation is 4 to 1 or less is at is at or near the 25 percent exceedance level. It is shown in this report that the same diameter pipeline as used in traditional design can by sloped to maximize the power output of the plant (powermax slope) and thus increase the annual energy production by 149 to 186 percent, the difference being dependent upon the amount of energy recovered by the static regain in pressure pipelines when flows are reduced below the maximum. This optimized flow and head without changing the cost of the pipeline. The effect is to reduce the unit cost of energy produced. The higher flow at the powermax slope has a greater variability and will therefore require turbines with greater variability. It is demonstrated that multiple fixed geometry turbines sized in binary steps can effectively span flow variability ratios from 10 to 1 or greater and be installed at less cost than custom designed variable geometry units. Thus, designing at the points on the flow duration curve corresponding to the 10 percent or lower exceedance level is economically feasible. Combining the powermax concept for pipelines with the concept of using binary sized turbines and a pressure system to use the static regain concept can result in hydro plant designs that utilize a greater portion of the potential energy at a given site and reduce the unit cost of energy

The Feasibility of Change-of-Use of Selected State Administered Lands in Utah

Many acres of the state come under the jurisdiction of the State Government and are managed by the appropriate department of state government. The Division of State Lands, Department of Natural Resources of the State of Utah is responsible for the management of much of the state owned land. The Division of State Lands leases the lands to various users. Revenues from the leases are used for the support of state administered program such as education. The Division of State Lands desires to manage these lands as efficiently as possible and maximize the rents and thus increase the revenues available for the appropriate programs. The lands are classified according to their use or potential use such as mining lands, grazing lands, agricultural lands, or rangelands. The rent received varies according to the use. Since grazing land or rangeland has a low return, it would be desireable to change the use to one of the other or higher classificiations. However, before a use can be changed, the tract must be upgraded or provided the characteristics of the tracts being classified for the other use

Water and Land Use Planning for Some State Lands Near Moab, Utah

In an attempt to apply better management principles to the control of state lands, the Division of State Lands asked for the study of two questions concerning state administered lands near Moab, Utah. The first question deals with the Moab and Spanish Valleys while the second question applies to Castle Valley some 10 miles northeast of Moab. The Mill Creek Development Project is proposed to provide additional water for agriculture and M & I use in the Moab and Spanish Valleys. The question for consideration is, How much water from the Mill Creek Development Project Reservoir should the Division of State Lands request or subscribe to from the Grand County Conservancy District? The second question, dealing with Castle Valley, is, What should be done with the well that the Division has drilled in Castle Valley? The objective of this phase of the study is to suggest some alternatives and give recommendations related to these two questions

Management of the Hydrologic System in Areas Subject to Coal Mining Activities

Publicity given to the detrimental effects of mining activities on the environment has tended to overshadow somewhat the hydrologic opportunities and benfits that could be associated with these activities. For example, many areas disturbed by surface mining have proved to be excellent recharge areas for groundwater aquifers. The degree to which mine sites can be exploited to improve management of the hydrologic system depends on both the local geology and the mining techniques used. The report examines the effects of present mining activities on the associated hydrology system, and identifies specific mining procedures and management techniques which not only minimize negative hydrologic impacts of mining operations, but which also enhance the values of the hydrologic system in terms of existing and potential social uses. Thus, the results of the research contribute to the solution of present and future hydrologic problems (both quanitty and quality) associated with coal mining in the western U.S. Emphasis is placed on sites which are representative of both existing and future coal mining areas. The specific objectives of the study are to: 1. Evaluate the potential for using underground coal mines to: a. Tap previously inaccessible groundwater supplies. b. Reduce the salt load to the Colorado River by decreasing the contact of groundwater with salt-bearing geologic formations. c. Store water in abondoned mines. 2. Consider the potential effects of underground coal mines on water resources. 3. Evaluate the potential of using surface mined areas to collect surface runoffs and thus: a. Reduce the sediment loads to the Colorado River. b. Enhance water storage in the basin. Each of the preceding objectives is addressed and discussed by the report in terms of actual coal mines in central Utah. The study suggests not only ways of reducing negative hydrologic impacts of mining operations, but also operational and management mining techniques which will enhance the social use value of the hydrologic systems, and thus, in fact, create hydrologic opportunities

A Computer Model of the Quantity and Chemical Quality of Return Flow

A hybrid computer program is developed to predict the water and salt outflow from a river basin in which irrigation is the major water user. A chemical model which predicts the quality of water percolated through a soil profile is combined with a general hydrologic model into form the system simulation model. The chemical model considers the reactions that occur in the soil, including the exchange of calcium, magnesium, and sodium cations on the soil complex, and the dissolution and precipitation of gypsum and lime. The chemical composition of the outflow is a function of these chemical processes within the soil, plus bending of undiverted inflows, evaporations, transpirations, and the mixing of subsurface return flows with groundwater. The six common ions of western waters, namely calcium (Ca++), magnesium Mg ++), sodium (Na +), sulfate (SO 4=), chloride (Cl-), and bicarbonate (HCO3-), are considered in the study. Total dissolved solids (TDS) outflow is obtained by adding the individual ions. The overall model operates on monthly time increments. The model is tested on a portion of the Little Bear River Basin in northern Utah. The model successfully simulates measured outflows of water and each of the six ions for a 24-month period. Only sodium ions, which occurred in small concentrations comprising approximately 2 percent of the total salt outflow, exhibit significant discrepancies between predicted and observed values. All other ions agree within 10 percent on a weight basis for the two-year model period, with correlation coefficients ranging from .87 to .97. The usefulness of the model is demonstrated by a management study of the prototype system. For example, preliminary results indicated that the available water supply could be used to irrigate additional land without unduly increasing the salt outflow from the basin. With minor adjustments the model can be applied to other areas