Water Quality Standards for Salinity Including Numeric Criteria and Plan of Implementation for Salinity Control

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"I. It is recommended that: "A salinity policy be adopted for the Colorado River system that would have as its objective the maintenance of salinity concentrations at or below levels presently found in the lower main stem. In implementing the salinity policy objective for the Colorado River system, the salinity problem must be treated as a basinwide problem that needs to be solved to maintain Lower Basin water salinity at or below present levels while the Upper Basin continues to develop its compact- apportioned waters. "II. The salinity control program as described by the Department of the Interior in their report entitled 'Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program', dated February 1972, offers the best prospect for implementing the salinity control objective adopted herein...." Establishment of Colorado River Basin Salinity Contro Forum Enactment of PL 92 -500 in 1972 introduced a new factor into the salinity problem. The legislation has been interpreted by EPA as requiring that numerical criteria be set for salinity on the Colorado River. Consequently in the fall of 1973 EPA submitted to several of the Colorado River Basin States preliminary views regarding proposed requirements and procedures-for salinity control in the Colorado River Basin, including the establishment of an interstate organiza- tion to develop a salinity control plan. The Basin States, in response to EPA's submittal regarding the proposed requirements, and in consideration of several other questions that had been generated relative to certain sections of PL 92 -500, met on November 8 and 9, 1973, and among other things formed the "Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum ". A statement of position (see The Seven Colorado River Basin States Accord, Appendix D) for use in discussing the proposed -8-