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<br /> <br />W <br />N <br />-.J <br />w <br /> <br />SlJI.tolARY <br /> <br />The Situation <br /> <br />Waters of the colorado River are becoming more saline. Great concern <br /> <br />and a sense of urgency to halt the rise have been expressed by those <br /> <br />who depend upon the river as a lifeline. The salinity control impera~ <br /> <br />tive extends to the Republic of Mexico and has become an important <br /> <br />aspect in our international relations with that nation. <br /> <br />At the headwaters the average salinity!! (concentration of total dis- <br /> <br /> <br />solved SOlids) in the Colorado River is less than 50 mg/l and pro. <br /> <br />gressively increases downstream until, at Imperial Dam, the present <br /> <br />modified 2/ condition is 865 mg/l. Projections of future salinity <br /> <br />levels without a control program suggest that values of 1.250 mg/l <br /> <br />or more will occur at Imperial Dam by the year 2000. One projection <br /> <br /> <br />used in the Lower Colorado Region Comprehensive Framework Study y <br /> <br /> <br />foresees such a level being reached by 1980. Should these increases <br /> <br />1/ Salinity as used in this report refers to the concentration of <br />total dissolved solids and is reported in milligrams per liter (mg/l). <br />This unit of concentration is nearly equivalent to parts per million <br />(ppm) up to concentrations of 7,000 mg/l. <br />2/ Present modified refers to the historic conditions (1941-1968) <br />modified to reflect all upstream existing projects in operation for <br />the full period. <br />3/ Water Resources Council. <br /> <br />viii <br />