WSPC04953

• File Number: 8272
• Description: Colorado River - Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - CRBSCP
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 4/1/1990
• Author: Joseph F Friedkin
• Title: International Problem with Mexico Over the Salinity of the Lower Colorado River - Excerpted from Water and the American West - Essays in Honor of Raphael J Moses
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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In April, 1972, the EPA and the seven basin states agreed
to a policy of limiting the average annual salinity of the main-
stem of the lower Colorado River to the then-existing level at
Imperial Dam, 850 ppm.14 Water quality standards and an Im-
plementation plan were to be developed and Implemented. The
Colorado River Basin states, in a strong, united front, intro-
duced and supported salinity control legislation. Ambassador
Brownell's report to the President recommended its approval.
Congress passed the legislation as Title II of Public Law 93-320
entitled "Colorado River Basin Salinity Control ACt."15
Title II authorized the Secretary to construct four salinity
control units, and to expedite planning reports on twelve other
units in the basin. Because the Colorado River is an interstate
stream and because the federal government owned most of the
lands in the basin from which the dissolved salts originated,
Congress declared that 75% of the total cost of construction,
operation and maintenance would not have to be reimbursed
by the basin states. It authorized an appropriation of
$125,100,000 for the federal share of construction and other
costS.16

Implementation of the Agreement with Mexico
Since June 24, 1974, when the Colorado River Basin
Salinity Control Act17 was signed into law, the United States
has fulfUled its agreement with Mexico. The treaty waters de-
- livered to Mexico upstream from Morelos Dam have had an
annual average salinity of no more than 115 ppm :!: 30 ppm
(U.S. count) over the annual average salinity of Colorado River
waters at Imperial Dam. The salinity of the waters delivered to
Mexico are monitored by the International Boundary-and Wa-
ter Conrmission through Joint sampling and analysis of the
waters upstream of Morelos Dam by the United States and
Mexican Sections of the Commission. The records for each
year are exchanged by the two sections, and the Joint Conrmis-
sion has agreed that the results comply with the agreement in
Minute No. 242.
The average annual salinity of the treaty waters reaching
Mexico upstream of Morelos Dam has been as follows: .