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<br />, <br /> <br />N <br />CP <br />o <br />o <br /> <br />( ECONmllC IMPACTS OF CHANGl1S IN SALINITY LEVELS <br />OF THE COLORADO RIVER <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />There ~ppear to ~e many impacts resulting from changes in salinity <br />! <br /> <br />of theiwaters of the Colorado River. By far the most significant <br /> <br /> <br />impact lis the econom~c effect 'of using water with a high concentra- <br /> <br />; <br />tion o~ dissolved solids. Given here is an analysis of available <br /> <br />; <br />data f~omwhich is developed the bestpossibl~ estimate of these <br /> <br />, ' <br />econom~c impacts. The estimateS are intended to be used as benefit <br />valuell :ineYallJalling,tl1e justifica'tiqnof salinity control measures <br />and as !a qUantification of the salinity externalities associated <br />with p~posed water resource development projects. <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />I. Th~ Problem setting <br /> <br />; <br /> <br />The wa~ers of the Colorado River are progressively increasing in <br />salinit~, The principal dissolved constituents in Colorado River <br />waters ~re the cations - calcium, magnesium, and sodium, and the <br />anions !- sulfate. chlori!fe. and bicarbonate, These, and small <br />amount~ of other dissolved constituents, are commonly referred to <br />as salirity, Increasing concentrations of dissolved mineral salts <br />threaten to become a major economic problem for users of Colorado <br />River \Jater. <br /> <br />