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1 3 THE PROBLEM A total salt load of about 9 million tons annually entering Lake Mead in the Lower Colorado River Basin adversely affects more than 18 million people and more than 1 million acres of irrigated farmland in the United States. A comprehensive study to update the economic impacts of salinity in the Colorado River was completed and published in February 1988. The report, Estimating Economic Impacts of Salinity of the Colorado River, provided new estimates of salinity damages as a range of costs depending upon the assumptions for current total dissolved solids (TDS) and baseline TDS conditions used in the analysis. The estimated 1986 total damages from Colorado River salinity average $311 million annually based on the 1976-85 average level of river salinity and the 500 mg/L baseline value, A distribution of damages for all sectors of water use is shown in figure 3. The losses associated with municipal and industrial use sector occur primarily from increased water treatment costs, accelerated pipe deterioration and appliance wear, automotive radiators, increased soap and detergent needs, and decreased water palatability. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the recommended secondary standard for public drinking water should contain no more than 500 mg/L of TDS. For irrigators, the higher salinity concentrations cause lower crop yields, altered crop patterns, higher leaching and drainage require- ments, and higher management Household $ 156 TOTAL= $311 million Industry/Utilities $ 9 Based on 10-yr avg TDS in the river and 500 mg/L base Policy $ 33 Figure 3. - Annual salinity damages in the Lower Colorado River Basin in million $/yr. Agriculture $ 113