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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />is the Forum's observation that the plan of implementation <br />contains sufficient salinity control measures which when <br />implemented will "offset the increases in salinity caused <br />by the projected 1990 level of development" (p. iii, Forum, <br />August 1978 document) and that this development will include <br />"increased transmountain diversions to the eastern slopes of <br />the Rocky Mountains in Colorado" (p. 9, Forum, August 1978 <br />document) . <br /> <br />The basic means of implementation properly remains <br />the federally funded salinity control projects under Title II <br />of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974, <br />supplemented by an NPDES point source program of no salt <br />return where practicable and various federally funded farm <br />management programs under the 1977 Cle'an Water Act. 208 <br />plans will have limited effectiveness as a regulatory <br />mechanism because best management practices must be' technically <br />and economically feasible and, pursuant, to C.R.S.-l~73, 25-8- <br />506(1), must not infringe upon the State's water rights laws <br />and administration. We observe that anEPA document entitled <br />"State & Local Manageme,I'tt Actions to Reduce Colorado River <br />Salinity, September, 1977", at pages 92 and C-5 and C-6, <br />ruled out the imposition of minimum stream flows to meet <br />water quality goals for legal inability to accomplish such <br />a result. This Commission, in acting upon the Northwest COG <br />208 plans., rightfully in view of the, State's, water rights <br />laws and its policy in favor of developing 'the State' s compact <br />waters, did not approve'the COG's sugge5ted~egulatory mechan- <br />.. isms' for controllingtransmountain diversions. <br /> <br />Since "Federal lands including Indian lands are <br />the source of most of the naturally occurring salts, in the river" <br /> <br />-12- <br />