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<br />Salinity Update <br /> <br />0- <br />m <br />-.j <br />o <br /> <br />u.s. Department of the Interior <br />Water and Power Resources Service <br /> <br />A quarterly report on the <br />Colorado River Water <br />Improvement Program <br /> <br />September 1980 <br /> <br />SalinIty IS damaging and will contmue to <br />plague the Colorado River system the <br />lIfeblood Of millions m parIs of seven <br />Slates and MexIco. UNLESS something <br />IS done <br /> <br />Under the Colorado River Water Quality <br />Improvement Program, units now under <br />study have lt1e potential to Intercept <br />about 2 million Ions 01 salt annually <br />Additional management or control <br />measures are needed 10 meet year 2000 <br />sail remoyal reqUirements to reduce <br />millions of dollars In pOlenhal damages <br /> <br />Salinity Update wdl keep you informed <br />01 the status of Water and Power"s <br />program lor controlling the salinity, or <br />mmeral pollution. In the Colorado River <br />BaSin above Imperial Dam, Water users <br />and others concerned With the BaSin Will <br />find lheoverall status 01 the program and <br />some background Information In thiS <br />issue. along With a bnel discussion of the <br />authorized prOjects The desalting plant <br />at Yuma, below Impenal Dam. will not be <br />discussed, however. another newsleller <br />on that tOpiC. SAl T TALK, can be <br />obtained Irom the lower Colorado <br />Regional Office <br /> <br />Future Issues will explore more fully the <br />status of individual control measures, <br />relate significant activitieS. and explain <br />hOw other government and local <br />agencies help In tne struggle for salinity <br />control. Your questions will be <br />answered, as space permits. and <br />contnbutlons from other organizations <br />will be Included ThiS IS YOUR <br />newsletter let's make it what you want <br /> <br />let's review the Importance of salinity <br />control At the headwaters 01 the <br />Colorado River In the Rocky Mountain <br />peak-so salinity IS minimal water containS <br />about 50 milligrams per liter (mg'L) total <br />dissolved solids Generally. dissolved <br />minerai concentrations Increase Irom <br />the headwaters to tne mouth. In ""estern <br />and regions. SuCh as the Colorado River <br />BaSin. thiS Increase IS intenSified <br />because tnere IS little raintall to leach the <br />salts from the soil and rocks <br /> <br />Today. because 01 me natural salt load, <br />upstream water uses, and salt added by <br />man through Irrigation return flo"". water <br /> <br /> <br />.~ <br />...~,-':... .. <br /> <br />., <br /> <br />..,. <br />~ <br />.-' r <br />-n:..~ .'''' <br />. .~.'$Y- -~-r.-. . <br />','" ......,J~. <br /> <br />'.,4 <br /> <br />;. <br /> <br />.... <br /> <br />, <br />~ --p.. ~ <br />.- ..- <br />, <br /> <br />-;. ., <br />~~.. <br />..~_. ' " <br />~t ",., <br />'" <br />, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />y <br /> <br />.., <br /> <br />r <br /> <br />->L. <br />~- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />arriving atlmperlal Dam near Yuma <br />Arizona, has an average annual salinity <br />ot about 820 mg L Estimates Indicate <br />that about half 01 the present salt levels <br />In the ColoradO RIVN at Hoover Dam <br />near Las Vegas are attributed to natural <br />sources The remaining half IS man- <br />Induced as indicated In the pie-chart <br /> <br />To better understand tne levelS of salt <br />concentration drln"mg water Should <br />contain fewer than 500 mg l 01 total <br />dissolved solids, higher levels may allect <br />the taste and the digestive system In <br />some people Depending upon the type <br />01 sailS, water containing more than 500 <br /> <br />, ..... , <br />+ <br />...--- ~ <br /> <br />. -, ~ <br />...~- <br />.~... <br />~..... . <br />,.:ro..~ -. <br /> <br />?' <br /> <br />"" <br /> <br />"'-----"-.:, <br /> <br />.' <br /> <br />- p <br /> <br />;. <br /> <br />... -,.. <br />2:jI' ,~- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />p <br /> <br />. . 51" <br /> "- ,. ~ <br />~ .... " <br /> .'" .... <br />_dIL <br /> , <br /> <br />mg 'L begins causing economIc losses to <br />muniCipal and industrial users by <br />corrodlMg pipes and scahng water <br />heaters Water contammg tram 700 to <br />850 mg 'L beginS causing agricultural <br />damages dependlMg upon the soil <br />COnditionS and type of crops grown <br />farm YieldS decrease and production <br />COSts Increase <br /> <br />mgiL <br />Below 500 <br />Above 500 <br />700-850 <br />and above <br /> <br />Ellect <br />Good drlnKlT"lg water <br />M&llosses <br />Agricultural losses <br />