WSP11033

• File Number: 8272.100.70
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 6/1/1975
• Author: CRBSCF
• Title: Water Quality Standards for Salinity Including Numeric Criteria and Plan of Implementation for Salinity Control
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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~ The river below Lake Powell was divided into distinct reaches
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. to determine future salinity levels. Future estimates of water use

and salt loading for each appropriate reach of the river below Lake

Powell and the accumulative effect above Powell were superimposed

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upon historical conditions for each year of the study. The changes
were routed downstream with the accumulated impact reflected at

downstream stations.

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The studies were made on a monthly basis using a range of water
supply conditions and future depletion rates.

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Projections of Future Water Use
The use of Colorado River water by the Upper Basin States in
1973 was 2,976,000 acre-feet. A number of water development projects
are either now under construction or have been completed and water use
. is building up to project capacities. Several other projects have

been authorized for construction. In addition, studies are being made
of numerous in-basin projects that would develop water for irrigated

. agriculture, oil shale, thermal-electric generation, and municipal

and industrial purposes. Some of the projected future developments

will provide for increasing transmountain diversions to the eastern

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slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, to the Bonneville Basin
in Utah, and to the Rio Grande Basin in New Mexico; there also may
be new trans basin diversions in Wyoming. Actual depletions by year
1990 in the Upper Basin, exclusive of main stem reservoir evaporation,
will be dependent on many variables, including physical and legal
restraints. In the studies to estimate future salinity levels,
three possible rates of 1990 water usage were projected. These

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