WSP08974

• File Number: 8210.140.20
• Description: Colorado River Basin Organizations and Entities - Colorado River Basin States Forum California
• State: CA
• Basin: Western Slope
• Date: 1/1/1974
• Author: Myron B Holburt
• Title: Annual Report for the Calendar Year 1973
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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waters from the proposed desalting
plant with fresh water,
3), Installation and operation. at
Federal expense. of wells necessary
to protect against loss of ground
water to Mexico and maintenance
of deliveries at San Luis at the
Southerly International Boundary,
4), Delineation of the new power
source to provide power for the
desalting plant and the well field,
5), Authorization of a Colorado
River Basin Salinity Control
program,
During the negotiations leading
to Minute 242. Mexico was
informed by the United States'
negotiators that the U, S, intends
to undertake a program to control
the salinity at Imperial Dam, It is
clear from statements made by
Ambassador Herbert Brownell and
Minister of Foreign Affairs Emilio
Rabasa, the principal negotiators
for the two countries. that unless
the salinity at Imperial Dam is
maintained near present levels. we
will have a new salinity problem
with Mexico,

Salinity Control Legislation

The Colorado River Board was
active in preparing salinity control
legislation, Early in 1973. the Chief
Engineer met with representatives
of the Basin states to further refine
the legislation that was hurriedly
introduced at the end of '972,
During the next few months. he
worked with interested California
agencies. as well as the other Basin
states. through the Committee of
Fourteen. in developing legislation
that was agreed upon by
representatives from the seven
Colorado River Basin states,
On May 14. legislation
authorizing a Colorado River

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salinity control program was
introduced into Congress as H,R.
7774, H,R, 7775. and S, 1807. "The
Colorado River Salinity Control Act
of 1973", The two House bills were
co-sponsored by 35 Colorado River
Basin State Congressmen and S,
1807 was co-sponsored by all 14
Basin State Senators,
These identical bills would
authorize the construction of three
salinity control units as the initial
stage of the salinity control
program, They are LaVerkin
Springs in Utah and Paradox Valley
and Grand Valley in Colorado, The
bills would also expedite planning
reports on 13 other salinity control
units, The three projects authorized
for construction would prevent
approximately 500,000 tons per year
from entering the Colorado River,
The bills also allocated costs of the
projects; 75% to be
nonreimbursable Federal
expenditure and 25% to be
allocated to the Basin states, The
States' share would be allocated
85% to the Lower Basin states and
15% to the Upper Basin states.
with funds coming from the Upper
and Lower Basin Development
Funds,
The Board's staft' conducted
intensive studies of costs.
financing. and benefits in
preparation for hearings on the
bills, Because of the agreement
signed with Mexico. however. the
hearings were postponed until after
the end of the calendar year. when
they were combined with hearings
on the Mexican agreement.
Near the end of the year. the
Board. together with the other
basin states. began work on
comprehensive legislation that
would combine both the
Administration's and the States' list
of measures to implement Minute
No, 242 with the 1973 basinwide
salinity control legislation,

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Colorado River Basin Salinity
Control Program

The Bureau of Reclamation is
continuing at an accelerated pace