7905

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7905
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1995.
• USFW - Doc Type: Progress Report No. 17,
• Copyright Material: NO

Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

The Quality of Water Colorado River Basin, Progress Report No. 17 (Progress Report)
was prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) of the U.S. Department of
the Interior, in cooperation with State water resource agencies and other Federal
agencies involved in the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (Salinity
Control Program). This Progress Report is the latest in a series of biennial reports
beginning in 1963.

AUTHORIZATION FOR REPORT

The directive for preparing this report is contained in four separate public
laws-Public Law 84-485, 87-483, 87-590, and 93-320.

Public Law 84-485 states:

"The Secretary of the Interior is directed to continue studies and make a report
to the Congress and to the States of the Colorado River Basin on the quality of
water of the Colorado River."

Public Law 87-483 states:

"The Secretary of the Interior is directed to continue his studies of the quality
of water of the Colorado River System, to appraise its suitability for municipal,
domestic, and industrial use and for irrigation in the various areas in the
United States in which it is used or proposed to be used, to estimate the effect
of additional developments involving its storage and use (whether heretofore
authorized or contemplated for authorization) on the remaining water avail-
able for use in the United States, to study all possible means of improving the
quality of such water and of alleviating the ill effects of water of poor quality,
and to report the results of his studies and estimates to the 87th Congress and
every 2 years thereafter."

Public Law 87-590 stipulates that January 3 would be the submission date for the
report.

Public Law 93-320 states:

"Commencing on January 1, 1975, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary
shall submit, simultaneously, to the President, the Congress, and the Advisory
Council created in Section 204(a) of this title, a report on the Colorado River
salinity control program authorized by this title covering the progress of
investigations, planning, and construction of salinity control units for the
previous 2 fiscal years; the effectiveness of such units; anticipated work needed
to be accomplished in the future to meet the objectives of this title, with
emphasis on the needs during the 5 years immediately following the date of
each report; and any special problems that may be impeding progress in
attaining an effective salinity control program. Said report may be included in