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iHJ2i91 \\ required Co obcain wacer use permics for such accivicies by demonscracing chac che "ater will be used for a purpose chac che state considers beneficial. However, che sCaCes where projeccs could be constructed generally do not hold chaC salinity control is beneficial Co chem. Therefore, che Bureau's abilicy Co develop projects to control nacural salt sources is ex~remely limited. Over che. years, che Bureau has cried co gain state cooperation by actempting to combine potenCial salinity control projeccs with uses "hich che staCes recognize as beneficial .to them. However, che Bureau's efforts in chis regard have not resulced in any new proj ects, Between 1974 and the end of fiscal year 1987, the Bureau spent more than $14 million to investigate eight potential projects, which included natural salt sources. without successfully identifying one that was boch economically viable and acceptable to the applicable state. Unless che states are willing Co reconsider their position and allow waCer to be used to offset the salinity increases caused by development of the River basin wacer, it appears unlikely that che Bureau will be able to control natural salt sources to meet the Ticle II program .objective. _Until state water laws are amended or reinterpreted to recognize salinity control as a beneficlal use or some arrangements are made to allow the Bureau to obtain water permits, there appears to be little practical purpose in expen ln s on the continued investigation of projects to control natural salt sources, In the inscance where the Bureau was authorized by Section 202 of the Act to build a natural salc source control project, it had to ac~ept .state conditions that limited its ability to operate the project. The Paradox Valley project currently under construction on the Dolores River (a tributary of the Colorado) in southwest Colorado is being constructed to control a natural salt source. The Bureau's ability to obtain che necessary "ater use permit that enabled construction to begin is due less to the cooperation of the state than it is to che measurable benefics Co be gained by the state and its water users. Also, che Bureau was wrlling to allow r~e s~~rp ~he r~ght to ~hur nnwn~he project in the future if it ~o desires. ~ --'I The Paradox Valley project is not representative of other potential nacural source control projects because che reduction of the salt level aC this location provides a very substancial direct benefit to downstream farming within Colorado. The conscruction of this project will prevent farmers from having to irrigate with high salinity water. which at times may lessen farm production, No other nacural salt sources have been identified that have such a drastic effect on in-state water users thac the Bureau can use as a reason to convince the sta'te to issue the necessary permit. However, even in chis instance, the salinity reduccion may be short-lived, as che water permit allows the state co shut down the projecc if water removed by the project is needed co satisfy the requirements of che same downstream farmers, This could happen as new development takes place in Colorado because the state's full water allocation would be needed to satisfy ocher local water users. Therefore. the possibility exists that a project which has been 10 .". " l ", ~I .\l ,; ~