Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />At the headwaters, the average salinity in the Colorado River is <br /> <br />N) <br />~ <br />Q> <br />..... <br /> <br />, ~,. "". " '. , ' " <br />less than 50 mg/l and progr~~sively Increase~ ~qwnstream until, at <br />Imperial Dam, the present condition Is 865 mg/l. Projections of <br />future salinity suggest values ilf about i ,200 mgJr at I1nperia'l Dam <br />by the year 2000. Should such'~alinity incr~ases be realized, <br />severe economic impacts would affectagrii:uittiral and municipal <br />users in the Lower Basin; <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Salinity 'increases 1-esultf1'om twol'rocesiles: sal i: loading and salt <br />concentrating. ':Sait l~ading incr~ases the amount of salt for a <br /> <br />, " <br />given amount of' water, ilni:isait d()rieeri.tratingdecrease~ theiimount <br />of water for a given amourtt()f s'l11't. Sait 10adJ.ng is the addition <br /> <br />to the river system of mineral salts from natural and manmade <br />sources. Salt concentrating is the rise in salinity through stream- <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />flow depletions which concentrate the salt burden in the river sys- <br />tem into a lesser volume of 'water. <br /> <br />The amount of salt il\ water directl~ influences the utility of the <br />water, and increased sal't concelltratlons typicall.~havea detrimen- <br />tal impact 'oil waterusetS. Such detriments include 'decr~asedpro- <br />ductivity and/or increased'prciducti'on c~sts for b'othagrictil tural <br />and industrial water users:. ' !nhousehold uses,' 'the detri.inents ' <br /> <br />include lowered palatability of drinking water, reduced life of <br /> <br />equipment coming in contact with water and, at higher concentrations <br /> <br />of some elements, adverse health effects. <br /> <br />2 <br />