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<br />000284 <br /> <br />The Honorable David Hobson <br />Chairman, Energy and Water <br />Development Subcommittee <br />House of Representatives <br />Washington DC 20515 <br /> <br />The Honorable Peter J. Visclosky <br />Ranking Member, Energy and Water <br />Development Subcommittee <br />House of Representatives <br />Washington DC 20515 <br /> <br />Subject: Modifications to Projects of Title 1 ofthe Colorado River Basin Salinity <br />Control Act (Public Law 93-320, As Amended, 43 U.S.c. ~ 1571) <br /> <br />Gentlemen: <br /> <br />The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of June 24, 1974 (Act), Public Law 93-320, <br />provided the Secretary of the Interior with certain authorities to control the salinity of the <br />Colorado River. Title I ofthat Act authorized actions necessary to meet the obligations of <br />the United States to control the salinity of Colorado River water delivered to Mexico as <br />defined by Minute No. 242 of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United <br />States and Mexico (IBWC). <br /> <br />Since enactment of Public Law 93-320, the United States has constructed and operated <br />various physical facilities, including the Yuma Desalting Plant (YDP) and the Bypass <br />Drain that conveys agricultural drainage water from the United States to an area in Mexico <br />near the Gulf of California known as the Cienega de Santa Clara (Cienega). <br /> <br />The YDP was designed and constructed in the late 1970's and early 1980's. The facility <br />operated tested operations at one-third capacity for about six months in 1992. During that <br />time numerous design deficiencies were identified and some efforts to correct those <br />deficiencies were implemented. Additional work, however, will be required to make the <br />\ plant fully operational. <br /> <br />Except for the few months in 1992, rather than operate the YDP, the United States has met <br />its salinity control obligations through the bypass of saline agricultural drainage water to <br />the Cienega. U,Eder Minute 242 the bypass is not charged against Mexico's Treaty. <br />entitlement and thus reslllts in releases ofa like amount of water from Colorado RivJ(r <br />. ~ora~ Consiste~t ~ith Title I, this storage releas~ has b~en o!f-set by the water. <br />" conserved by the lmmg ofthe Coachella Canal. WIth Cahforma water orders havmg been <br />reduced by the Secretary for 2003, the water saved by lining the Coachella Canal is no <br />rf/; l' longer available to the United States to offSet the additional release. . <br /> <br />J It Under the current drought Colorado River storage has been dropping at a record pace and' \ <br />c;;{t Of JyP concerns are increasing over the United States continuing the bypass operation without the }I ~A <br />tlf~. Unite~ States eithe~ replacing the bypass through implementing cost effective measures, or '/ <br />~ operatmg the YDP m order to recover most of the bypass and reduce the related storage <br />J}I release. <br /> <br />f) <br />~(~ <br /> <br />2 <br />