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<br />. <br /> <br />I) <br /> <br />WATER QUALITY ENFORCEMENT <br /> <br /> <br />This uncertainty hinges on the ability of those charges vith <br /> <br /> <br />enforcing vater quality to monitor the water's quality and to imple- <br /> <br /> <br />ment programs to meet the presently set stringent standards for the <br /> <br /> <br />basin's surface water. Recent Federal budget restrictions have <br /> <br /> <br />reduced the monies that vere to be available to construct vaste- <br /> <br /> <br />vater treatment plants, and to provide the Federal and State <br /> <br /> <br />agencies empovered to monitor water quality vith the equipment <br /> <br /> <br />and resources to perform their jobs. Water quality standards are <br /> <br /> <br />no more than statements of intent without the mone" and pover to <br /> <br /> <br />measure and enforce them. The lack of certainty of a continued <br /> <br /> <br />strong and meaningful Federal role in making the present laws work <br /> <br /> <br />viII signal to the State agencies and to vater users alike that <br /> <br /> <br />vater quality deterioration is no longer of national interest. <br /> <br /> <br />Without a strong Federal role, there vill be no Federal incentives <br /> <br /> <br />or penalties for those involved in the maintenance of water quality. <br /> <br />EFFECT OF SOUTH PLATTE RIVER QUALITY ON NEBRASKA <br /> <br /> <br />From the time vater enters the Platte River basin and is used, <br /> <br />its quality deteriorates. Ultimately, the water leaves the basin <br /> <br /> <br />either as seepage, evaporation, or streamflow. Although it is sub- <br /> <br />ject to Federal and State lavs, the quality of the water as it <br /> <br /> <br />enters another State, or in this case at the confluence of the <br /> <br /> <br />North Platte and South Platte Rivers, is subject to question. <br /> <br /> <br />Nebraska could find that vater coming into it vas unacceptable for <br /> <br /> <br />usage, as Mexico has found of water coming in from the United <br /> <br /> <br />States via the Colorado River. Legal questions could arise con- <br /> <br /> <br />cerning the right of Colorado's users to degrade the water quality <br /> <br /> <br />of the South Platte River. While not an issue presently, the fact <br /> <br /> <br />that Nebraska might pass vater quality standards higher than Federal <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />23 <br />