Red River Chloride Control Project Richard Bilinski Tulsa District

Red River Chloride Control Salton Canyon & Elm Fork Kaiser Canyon & Elm Fork This purpose for this unique project is to identify and to reduce naturally occurring brine emissions from entering into the Red River to allow more economical uses for municipal, industrial, and agricultural purposes.

Red River Chloride Control, TX & OK Construction, General Project Purpose: Reduce naturally occurring chloride and total dissolved solid concentrates in the Upper Red River Basin to allow economical use of water for municipal, industrial, and agricultural purposes. Authority: Flood Control Acts of 1966 (PL 89-789) & 1970 (PL 91-611); Water Resources Development Act of 1974 (PL 93-251), 1976 (PL 94-587), 1986 (PL 99-662) and Sec 3136 of WRDA 2007 (PL 110-114). Sponsors: Wichita Basin, TX. - Red River Authority of Texas, TX Area VI, OK. - Oklahoma Water Resources Board (OWRB) and the Lugert-Altus Irrigation District, OK Cost Sharing Document: Local Cooperation Agreement, Jan 1978

Salt Source Areas The Cretaceous Period marked the last extensive covering North American by an inland sea. Portions of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas were covered by a warm, but shallow ocean. As the ocean slowly receded it left highly concentrated salt deposits which were later covered by sediment. Now the salt from the buried beds bubbles up as springs -- salt seeps -- and flows into rivers and streams. The slide on the left highlights primary salt source areas in the Arkansas and Red River Basins.

Brine Emission Types Methods of Control In 1959, the Congress asked the Corps of Engineers to identify and recommend methods of control of the brine emissions within the Red River Basin. Some of the emission types are categorized on the left side of the slide. A few of the collection and disposal measures are shown on the right.

Since then the Corps of Engineers have identified 10 significant source areas in the Red River basin, 1 in Oklahoma and 9 in Texas. Those areas highlighted in green have been constructed. The plan is simple, to capture and contain the naturally occurring Brine Seeps at their source areas and prevent their re-entry into the stream system. One of the areas where chloride control work has proven successful is located at Area V, Estelline Springs. This project was constructed in 1964 and consists of a 9-foot high earthen ring dike, 340 feet in diameter. This dike surrounds and stops (through hydrostatic pressure) about 240 tons of chlorides (out of 300) from flowing into the Red River. Also highlighted at the bottom of this slide are completed efforts at Area VIII and the Truscott Brine Containment Facility within the Wichita Basin. They have been in operation since 1987.

Wichita River Basin, Texas The recommended plan for the Wichita Basin includes brine collection at Areas VII, VIII (completed), and X (partially completed), with disposal in Truscott Brine Lake (completed). When operational, 409 tons of salt per day will be prevented from entering the Wichita River and the Red River. The proposed project facilities for the Wichita Basin, TX. consist of three low-flow dams for collection of brine, five evaporation spray fields for brine volume reduction, one brine disposal reservoir for holding concentrated brine solutions, and necessary pumps and pipelines to transport brine solutions from the low-flow dams to the brine disposal reservoir. When operational, 409 tons of salt per day will be prevented from entering the Wichita River and the Red River, over 80 percent of the salt load from the Wichita Basin. We currently estimate that approx. $70M will be required to complete the Wichita Basin Features. Pipeline

Low Flow Diversion Inflated Deflated During periods of high flow after a rain, will allow diluted brines to pass downstream. This slide shows in detail to method of control that are recommended for all three collection areas in the Wichita Basin. Deflated During periods of high flow after a rain, allows diluted brines to pass downstream. Inflated During low flow periods, brines will be diverted to Brine Containment Facility Inflated During low flow periods, brines will be diverted to Brine Containment Facility.

Bateman Pump Station Area VIII In operation since 1986 Area VIII pump Station

Area X Pumphouse and Dam Unfinished Area X, construction halted 1995. Inflatable Dam and Pump station only.

Truscott Brine Reservoir In operation since 1986 Surface area is approximately 2000 acres. Daily inflow is near 5MGD containing 200 tons salt Ariel view of lake with elevation info.

Elm Fork of the North Fork of the Red River, Harmon County, Oklahoma (Area VI) W. C. Austin (formerly Altus) Bureau of Reclamation Project Recently we were asked by Congress to perform a thorough reevaluation of chloride control measures on the Elm Fork, a tributary of the Red River in southwestern Oklahoma to recommend the most appropriate course of action(s) to reduce salinity by reexamining the feasibility of various chloride control measures, their benefits and potential impacts. The last time we evaluated methods of chloride control within this basin was back in the late 1970’s.

Area VI, Harmon CO., OK. Robinson Canyon Salton Canyon Salton Canyon Kiser Canyon Previously Studied Alternative Area VI flows through the Elm Fork of the North Fork of the Red River in Harmon County, Oklahoma. The three major chloride sources of Area VI are in Salton, Robinson, and Kaiser Canyons along the south bank of the Elm Fork. These narrow canyons emit brine in high concentrations and are located from about one mile west of Oklahoma State Highway 30 to 3 miles east of the Texas-Oklahoma State line. The total Area VI chloride load is about 510 tons per day (T/D).

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