WSP11161

• File Number: 8040.400
• Description: Section D General Studies-Environmental
• State: CO
• Date: 2/15/1972
• Author: ROMCOE
• Title: The Mineral Quality Problem in the Colorado River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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consumers, The cost incidence may therefore be assignable to a broader seg-
'ment of society, including low-income people to whom increased food prices
'are a major burden. '

In institutional matters, a positive program for public participation should
De identified, This Conference is but one form of participation; other types
should be utilized as well,

It is noted that the study used a 5% discount rate in determining present worth
of investments in salinity reduction programs. If a more realistic 10% "opp0r~
tuni ty cost" were used as the discount rate, the investments would be much higher
in present worth. This argues against the high-investment technological control
alternatives and in favor of the alternative of "limited development." The
latter alternative is also an appropriate appr~ach as regards numerical criteria
for salinity because the salinity vs. time curve flattens and becomes constant.
'Also, it conforms most closely to the use of ecological principles in planning,

The Report states that this "limi ted development" alterna ti ve may cause beneri ts
to be foregone. In some cases, this may be true, Howev~r, 'because past benefit/
cost ratios have not assessed total costs, the "benefits foregone" may well be
"disbenefi ts foregone" in many cases. The use of a more realistic discount
ratio will yield lower net dollar benefits, many past projects have been
funded on the basis of an artificially low discount rate.

The'alternative of limited development would reduce the difficulty of the control
cost allocation question, where Upper ,Basin states contribute the salinity but
Lower Basin states suffer the costs.

Some of the methods contemplated for'control of natural diffuse sources will
start another round of technological band-aids, Sealing of ground surfaces,
contour ditches to pick up run-off and carry it rapidly to streams and similar
methods will be quick-fixes, the secondary result of which will be disbenefits
in a broad range of categories. The study team should proceed farther in
identifying these secondary impacts and effect.

Alternatives involving desalinization whlch requires electrical power (such as
distillation or electrodialysis) should be discouraged,

The Report discusses out-basin diversions in terms of helping the Colorado River
quality problem. These diversions should be viewed in another way: the Colorado
River salinity problem diminishes the merits of further out-basin diversions.

In summary, ROMCOE finds much to praise in the EPA Report and work. Its con-
clu'sions and recommendations merit support. ROhCOE is directly involved with
only eight Rocky Hountain states, not including California., However, parochialism
or regional chauvinism have no phce in the problems addressed by the Report.
The ecosystem knows no political boundaries. Mexico and America are not separable
in terms of ecological processes, &nd the problem of salini ty must be considered
i,n this frame of reference.