Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br /> <br />t.J <br />I\:; <br />lJ:J <br /> <br />Development of the water resources in the Colorado '~iver Basin took <br /> <br />':..,) <br /> <br />place gradually from the beRinnine of settlement around 1860 and <br /> <br />has been continuing. In the Upper Basin~ 1.4 million acres were <br /> <br />irrigated by 1920. The pace of developMent slowed thereafter with <br /> <br />the result that in 1965. 1.6 million acres were under irrip,stion. <br /> <br />In addi tion. the water exported from the Upper Basin anounted to <br /> <br />about 500,000 acre-feet per year and consumptive use of \~ater for <br /> <br />municipal and industrial purposes llcplet('d about 30,000 acre~fcct <br /> <br />per yenr. <br /> <br />Initial development in the Lower llasin was slow bec311SC of difficult <br /> <br />diversions from the Colorado River :tnd its Iddel}' fluctuating flow. <br /> <br />Ilowever. with the completion of the Boulder Canyon Project in the <br /> <br />1930's, the develop",ent accelerated and ahollt 1.3 nillion acres arc <br /> <br />now under irriRation. In this rer.ard, the r.olorado rliver now pro- <br /> <br /> <br />vides 75 percent of the water to SOuthern Californi:!. where More than <br /> <br />half of that !=;tate's 20 nil lion people I i\'t'. <br /> <br />The importance of salinity in water supplies ,...as recognized as early <br /> <br />as 1903. At that time. the initial work \>'''s done to identify desir_ <br /> <br />able salinity levels for mair.tenance of crop production under irri_ <br /> <br />gation. A limited amOunt of ','atcr sanplinr. and analysis of the river <br /> <br />was beinr. performed. primari ly by t...... r.eolor.ical SUT\'cy. The main <br /> <br />purpose of these early tests '''LIS to evaluate the Suit,1hility of the <br /> <br />Water Supply for irril!3tion and other lISCS. In tine, it becane clear <br /> <br />4 <br /> <br />