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.Ii Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum w-1. ,(0"& :;()',.fRNORS &uce 80"",", AZ Geage Deukmajlan, CA RIchard D. l.cmm. co R;ct'Od Broun, "" Toney /vofa, NM Scott M. N1athaso'l, ur Ed Herrlller. WI FORUM MEMBERS Nizono _Stelne< Ronald L Miller Stewart Udall Col1l'orrllo Myron a"",,,," Watt91 G Pettit CoIaado [))yid W Robbins [)a..iid H GetcheS Robert A """'" Nevada ..Jock L Stor"l8hc:dl:er I.B--Jis H. DodQIon """'rdD,~ f..faoNtv1axIco _ E R<J,<dds UIoh DanIel F. """"""" CoMnK ~ Wpnlng Gecrge L a.otopuloS William L GcrIond EXECU1M DIRECTOR Jad< A Bcmett 1QoWest 500 SoUlh,Su1te 101 Bountiful, Ufon &1010 (801) 292..166:1 THE 1984 COLORADO RIYER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ACT February I, 1984 In 1974, after a decade of discussion between the federal government, the Republic of Mexico, and the seven Colorado River Basin states, Congress enacted the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (P.L. 93-320). Title I of the Act established a program to reduce the concentration of salts in the Colorado River below Imperial Dam so the United States could honor the commitments it made to Mexico. In Title II, the Act also established a program which allowed the states and the federal government to work together to prevent salinity increases in the Colorado River above Imperial Dam. Title II provided mechanisms for the state and federal government to cost share in this effort. It gave the Secretary of the Interior a lead federal role. The Bureau of Reclamation was authorized to construct four salinity control units and to study the cost effectiveness of several others. It gave the Secretary of Agriculture responsibility to assist in this effort. The states, in keeping with federal water quality legislation, established standards for water quality on the river that they would collectively work to achieve. The standards provided that the salinity of the river would not increase above the 1972 concentrations. The states organ- ized themselves into the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum so they could effectively work together. Progress reports are published annually to report their accomplishments and future programs, The 1974 Act provided an Advisory Council so the states could annually advise federal administrators as to adjustments that they perceive need to be made to the salinity control effort. Now, with ten years of experience, the states and the federal agencies have agreed that amendments are needed to the Act and all have agreed to the needed amendments. The seven basin states took the lead in drafting legislation. The state-supported legislation was introduced into the