WSP08397

• File Number: 8276.300
• Description: Lower Gunnison Basin Unit - Colorado River Salinity Control Program
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 3/1/1981
• Title: Lower Gunnison Basin Unit/ Colorado - Status Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

In brief, Title I provides the means of accomplishing Minute 242, which

requires that water delivered to Mexico have an average annual salinity

of no more than 115 ppm ~ 30 ppm greater than the Colorado River water

arriving at Imperial Dam upstream of the United States-Mexican border

(ppm is a measure of the parts per million concentration of total dis-

solved solids, an indicator of salinity concentration essentially

equivalent to concentrations expressed in mg/L).

Title II of the act provides for programs to control the salinity

of the Colorado River upstream from Imperial Dam to meet salinity

standards established by the seven Colorado River Basin States. Title II

also authorized the construction of four salinity control units: Paradox

Valley and Grand Valley Units in Colorado, Crystal Geyser Unit in Utah,
and Las Vegas Wash Unit in Nevada,

Title II authorized and directed the Secretary of the Interior to

expedite the completion of planning reports listed in the Secretary's

report "Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program, February 1972",

which is essentially the Colorado River Water Quality Improvement

Program. The Water Quality Improvement Program is a general investiga-

tion program developed in early 1971 by the Water and Power Resources

Service (then the Bureau of Reclamation), Subsequent legislation,

P.L. 96-375 of October 3, 1980, specifically authorized feasibility-

level studies on the Lower Gunnison Basin and nine other salinity con-

trol units.

Previous and Related Investigations 001673
Dallas Creek Project
The Dallas Creek Project, authorized in 1968, is presently under

construction. The project will provide municipal, industrial, and

2