WSPC02841

• File Number: 8272
• Description: Colorado River - Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - CRBSCP
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 9/1/1989
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: Office of the Inspector General Audit Report - Survey Report on the Review of the CRBSCP
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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owners could react similarly to the McElmo Creek owners and refuse
program participation unless the Bureau agrees to provide them cost. free
benefits. . As such. Bureau planners may be willing to accep"t owners'
demands to ensure that projects to control irrigation salt sources are
completed.

)

Recommendations

~e recommend that the Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamat:on:

1, Formally notify Congress of the limitations on the Department's
ability to comply with the provisions of Titles I and II of the Colorado
River Basin Salinity Control Act. At a m1n1mum, the Bureau should
address the potential inability of the desalting plant to meet the
program obj ec ti ves , the Bureau' s inability to replace desal ting plant
wastewater. and the substantial increases in the plant's projected
operating and investment costs. The Bureau should also address its
inability to obtain the state and local cooperation necessary to ensure
an effective and economical Title II program.

2. Provide Congress additional information on which to further
judge the reasonability and desirability of continuing with the .Title I
program in its current context, This should be done by providing
Congress with a formal analysis similar to that requested by the Office
of Management and Budget in the 1989 budget passback. The analysis
should identify alternative means of complying with the Title I salinity
standards, compare their long-term economic effects with those of the
current program, and evaluate their potential effect .on the water.
allocations of the basin states.

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3. Discontinue further effort on Title II investigations of
projects to control natural salt sources until the Colorado River basin
states expressly agree to issue water use permits solely for salinity
control purposes,

4. Establish policies and procedures covering Title II work
initiated on private irrigation facilities to preclude the inclusion of
features not essential to the accomplishment of salinity reduction.

5.
privately
project.

Not proceed with the unauthorized $4.4 million expansion of
owned irrigation facilities planned for the McElmo Creek

Bureau of Reclamation Response

Recommendation 1, The Bureau stated that it ...as already complying
with this recommendation because it believed the program would meet the
provisions of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Cor,rrol Act and because
Congress has been kept adequately informed through the budget process and
various reports such as "Quality of Water, Colorado River Basin. Progress
Report ~o. 14,. dated March 1989,

Recommendation 2. The Bureau stated that it had complied with this
recommendation based on its conclusion that informal discussions with an

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