7806

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7806
• Author: U.S. Department of the Interior.
• Title: Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin.
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: Progress Report No. 18,
• Copyright Material: NO

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The Quality of Water Colorado River Basin, Progress Report No. 18 (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 that commenC'ed in 1963.

AUTHORIZATION FOR REPORT

The directive for preparing this report is contained in four separate public laws-Public
Laws 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 available 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 the biennial report on
the quality of water of the Colorado River Basin prepared by the Secretary pursuant to