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<br /> <br />~ <br />G) <br />~ <br />C.Q <br /> <br />time, both national and international, ar" formidable. There are <br /> <br />no bars, however, to the study of augmenting the Colorado River <br /> <br />by desalt ing of sea water. The "Pub lie Works and Atomic Energy <br />'. <br /> <br />Commission Appropriat ion Act, 1968" provided funds for the Cent ral <br /> <br />Arizona Project investigation specifically to include a reconnais- <br /> <br />sance study of Colorado River augmentation by desalting. This <br /> <br />reconnaissance report is prepared pursuant to that provision. <br /> <br />Presented herein is a plan for augmeuting the Colorado River <br /> <br />water supply by desalting in amounts sufficient to assure, the <br /> <br />availability of 7.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water for <br /> <br />consumptive use by the Lower' Basin States without calling upon <br /> <br />the Upper Basin States to assume any portion of the obligation to <br /> <br />deliver 1. 5 million acre-feet of water annually to Mexico. The <br /> <br />time available did not permit studies in sufficient detail to <br /> <br />determine that the plan presented is the most economic plan available. <br /> <br />To the contra:ry; there are indications that a better plan from an <br /> <br />economic viewpoint would originate on the Gulf of California <br /> <br />rather than the Pacific Ocean. Such a plan would require inter- <br /> <br />netional agreements beyond the purview of a brief recon~aissance <br /> <br />appraisal but should be explored thoroughly in any detailed studies <br /> <br />of augmenting by desalting. A joint United States-Mexico study <br /> <br />group is now making a preliminary assessment of the practicability <br /> <br />of dual-purpose nuclear power and desalting plant to serve the <br /> <br />general area of southern California, Ari.ona, Baja California and <br /> <br />Sonora.. <br /> <br />2 <br />