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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />,~ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />~-- <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORADO <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />721 Centennial Building <br />1313 Sherman Street <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br />Phone, 13031866-3441 <br />FAX, 13031 866-4474 <br /> <br />Roy Romer <br />Covl'rnol <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />Jtimes S. Lochhetld <br />Execulive Direttor. DNR <br /> <br />Oaries C. Lile, P.E. <br />Director, eWeB <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board Members <br /> <br />FROM: Steve Miller <br />Interstate Streams and Hydrologic Investigations Section <br /> <br />DATE: March 2,1998 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Agenda Item 18d, March 10-11, 1998 Board Meeting- <br />Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program- <br />I. Triennial Review <br />ii. Standards Discussion <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />This memo briefly introduces an upcoming review process that the staff will be participating in <br />regarding the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (CRBSCP). This agenda item is <br />informational only and no Board action is required at this time. Staffwill continue to update the <br />Board as the process unfolds over the next 18 months. Comments and questions can be discussed <br />during the Board meeting or addressed directly to staff at any time. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />Excessive levels of salinity, commonly measured as total dissolved solids (IDS), while not toxic or <br />of significant public health concern, do impair the usability of surface water supplies through <br />reduced crop yields, damages to domestic water distribution systems and household plumbing, and <br />added raw water treatment and sewage disposal costs. Rising salinity levels in the Colorado River <br />began causing concerns for water users in the Lower Basin and Mexico in the 1960's. The increases <br />were due in part to new irrigation projects and transmountain diversions coming on line, which both <br />added new salt loads to the river and reduced the high quality inflows which previously diluted the <br />natural salt loads. <br /> <br />The CRBSCP was created by the 1974 Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (Act) and the <br />CWCB participates with the other basin states in guiding the Program through the CRBSC Forum <br />(Forum). In 1975 the Forum developed a water quality standard for salinity in the Colorado River <br /> <br />(":''-;R.\4IUEIl\IIOAall''fEM\.~MAR I..WPD <br />l'mtWooM-iol,lll'Jl <br />