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<br />three gukn1:ilorially,appointed memhers of the Forum and the Council and currently <br />""'"' serve as the Chairman of the seven,state Forum. <br />~ <br />00 <br />I-" fhe Bureau of Reclamation's basin-wide Colorado River Basin Salinity Control <br />Program is a vital component of the multi-agency ongoing approach prevent salinity <br />concentration levels from exceeding specified numeric criteria in the water quality <br />standard, (or the Colorado River. In addition to considerations of complying with this <br />basin-wide water quality standard, the United States is committed to managing the <br />salinity cOI1centrations of Colorado River water deliveries to the Republic of Mexico, <br />pursuanllo Minule 242 of the 1944 "Treaty Between the United States and Mexico, <br />Relating to \Vaters of Ihe Colorado ~Ind Tijuana River and of the Rio Grande." <br /> <br />In .luly. 1995, Congress amended the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act. <br />The amended Act provided Reclamation with additional authorities that have improved <br />upon the cost-effectiveness of Reclamation's salinity control program, in large part <br />because it provided for proposals and grealer involvement from thc private sector. <br />Reclamation's basin-wide Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program has proved to <br />be very successful relative to both the cost-effectiveness of salinity reduction loading <br />projech th,tt have bun implemented and the pace at which projecls have been initialed. <br />Project i/llpkmented under the authority of this Program authorized in 1995 have had an <br />averao;e euSI "I' $27 per (on of salt controlled, as compared to original authority <br />Reclalll:tt ;on program projects thai averaged $76 per ton. <br /> <br />Additional advanlages of the basin,wide program have been realized from the <br />integl-ation of Reclamation's program with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's salinity <br />control program (the USDA's Colorado River Salinity Control Program was combined <br />wilh three other programs in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) <br />created by Ihe 1996 Federal Agricultllle Improvement and Reform Act). Through <br />integral;o/l of on-farm irrigation impruvements being established through the EQIP with <br />the BUI\::\II\ off,fann improvements. much higher irrigation efficieneies are being <br />obtained and correspondingly beneficial reductions in deep percolation of irrigation <br />water. 'lIld hence sal( loading reduction rates, are being realized. <br /> <br />The l"lcxibility that is inherenlto this Program has proved to be highly beneficial. <br />Reclam'llion has been able to quickly implement projects and thus take advantage of the <br />fact thai eost sharing partners (private organizations and states and federal agencies) <br />onen h'IVC funds available at specific limes. Undcr the broader authorities provided <br />through the 1995 amendmenl to the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act that <br />crealed the ha,in-wide program. Reclamation has been able to lake advantage of <br />opportunities 'IS they present themselves. thereby reducing overall costs. Further, the <br />responsihilil)' for implcmenting these spccific, cost-effeciive salt loading reduction <br />projects rest, with the local entity and the completed projects are owned by the local <br />implementing entity, rather than Reclamation. <br />