WSPC05334

• File Number: 8272
• Description: Colorado River - Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program - CRBSCP
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 4/1/1988
• Author: USDA
• Title: Colorado River Salinity Control Program - 1988 Report to Congress
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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PROGRAM COORDINATION

Interdepartmental

As a result of Pub. L 93-320, coordination between U5DI and USDA was
established through a Departmental Memorandum of Understanding signed in
November 1974. This Memorsndum of Understanding was extended to 1986 and
subsequently revised in August 1986, following the 1984 amendments to the
Act. Both USPI and USDA have designated salinity control liaison officers to
coordinate respective programs.

A working Memorandum of Agreement between USBR, ASCS, and SCS, was initiated
in 1974, and subsequently revised in August 1986 to be consistent with the new
CRSC program authorities for USDA.

Departmental

The casc program coordination is conducted by the agency administrators of
ARS, ASCS, CSRS, ES, and 5CS. The agencies have established a USDA Salinity
Control Coordinating Committee (SCCC), which has responsibility for carrying
out the day-to-day coordination functions of the program. SCCC provides the
forum for determining the administration and program management functions for
respective USDA agencies and makes recommendations to USBR and EPA on policy
.
matters, funding levels, and implementation priorities. Both USBR and the EPA
have ex-officio members participating on the SCCC. The USDA salinity control
liaison officer, the Director of the Land Treatment Program Division, SCS, is
chairperson of this committee.

To enhance coordination efforts between USDA and USBR, SCS established a CRSC
Basin Coordinator position in 1985. The Basin Coordinator is located at USBR
in the Colorado River Water Quality Office in Denver, Colorado. The Basin
Coordinator provides additional guidance and assistance to the USDA agencies
in toe Basin while coordinating basin-wide activities within the States.
Experience to date has demonstrated the importance of the Basin Coordinator in
resolving many of day-to-day technical and program coordination difficulties
with USBR.

Basin States

Coordination with representatives of the Colorado River Basin States improves
the administration and management of the CRSC programs. Since the seven basin
States are primary users of Colorado River water, they have a vested interest
in both the quality and quantity of water in the river. The basin States
supported the original Act and were instrumental in the subsequent amendments
in 1984. The Act established a Colorado River Basin Salinity Control (CRBSC)
Advisory Council composed of representatives from the basin States. The
Advisory Council receives annual reports from all Federal agencies on their
salinity control related activities. The Advisory Council also presents an
annual report, which includes program recommendations, to the Secretaries of
the Interior and Agriculture and the Administrator of EPA.

The CRBSC Forum is a related organization composed of water resources and
water quality representatives appointed by the governor of the respective
States. The Forum was established in 1972 as a result of amendments to the

IS