NRCS Utah Accepting Applications for Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program | Natural Resources Conservation Service

SALT LAKE CITY, June 5, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Utah is accepting applications for its Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (SCP). Agricultural producers in Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery and Uintah Counties are eligible to apply for funding through the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP). 

The Colorado River and its tributaries provide municipal and industrial water to about 27 million people and irrigation water to nearly four million acres of land in the United States. Elevated salinity in the river results in significant damage to agricultural, municipal, and industrial water users. Salinity projects promote irrigation system improvements on the land to reduce deep percolation and subsequent salt loading in the Colorado River.

All applications must be received by July 5, 2024. An expedited process for qualifying applications will be implemented through ACT Now. Learn more at the NRCS Utah EQIP program page. 

Eligible applications received after the cutoff period may be considered during a later time and will be processed throughout the fiscal year as needed. Producers must have farm records current with the Farm Service Agency and submit a complete program application to be considered. Interested producers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center for assistance. 

Background

The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (SCA) of 1974 (PL‐93‐320) authorized federal funding of salinity control projects to manage salinity in the Colorado River. Salinity studies determined that irrigation system improvements that increase irrigation efficiencies (thus reducing deep percolation), both on‐farm and off‐farm, are the most economical salinity control. In Utah, five Salinity Control Units were facilitated through the SCA, and subsequent legislation authorized the USDA Soil Conservation Service, now NRCS, to implement and manage salinity control throughout the Colorado River Basin. 

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