WSP00491

• File Number: 8272.500
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Colo Dept of Public Health - WQCC and WQCD
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 3/7/1978
• Author: Dept of Health -WQCC
• Title: Implementation of the Colorado River Standards Through the NPDES Permit Program
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

. @ It". THE Pu...,c: RECORD C~ORAT'ON
AL.L. RIGHTS RaSlnlVEO t CR.. 4."

.

Page 1

3.10.0

IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE COLORADO RIVER SALINITY STANDARDS
THROUGH THE NPDES PERMIT PROGRAM

Q-
~

3.10.1 AUTHORITY; C.R.S., 1973, Section 25-8-202 (1) (c) and (d); 25-8-205 (1)
(a); and 25-8-501 (3); as amended. ,

3.10.2 DEHNITIONS: See the Colorado State Water Qua 1 ity Control Act and the
Water Quality Control COdified regulations for additional definitions.

1. "LOWER BASIN/UPPER BASIN" for the purpose of this regulation, the basin
dividing point is at Lee Ferry, Arizona.

3.10.3 PURPOSE; In November 1976, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency Regional Administrators notified each of the seven Colorado River
Basin States of the approval of the water quality standards for salinity
for the Colorado River System as contained in the document entitled "Pro-
posed Water Quality Standards for Salinity Including Numeric Criteria and
Plan of Implementation for Salinity Control, Colorado River System, June
1975", and the supplement dated August 25, 1975. The salinity standards
including numeric criteria and a plan of implementation provide for a flow
weighted average annual numeric criteria for three stations in the lower
mainS tern of the Colorado River; below Hoover Dam, below Parker Dam and
at Imperial Dam.

The Plan of Implementation is comprised of a number of Federal
and non-Federal projects and measures to maintain the flow-weighted average
annual salinity in the Lower Colorado River at or below numeric critera at
the three stations as the Upper and Lower Basin states continue to develop
~heir c~qpact-apportioned waters. One of the components of the Plan con-
sists of the placing of effluent limitations, through the National Pol-
lutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, on industrial
and municipal discharges.

The purpose of,thi~ regulation is to provide more detailed
guidance in the application of salinity standards developed pursuant to
Section 204 of the Colorado Water Quality Control Act, (C.R.S. 1973, 25.8-204)
and Section 303 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972
(33 U,.S.C. Section 303) (hereinafter "FWPCA"), The Standards are to be
implemented through the NPOES permitting authority in the regulation of
municipal and industrial sources pursuant to Section 501 et.~. of the
Colorado Act and Section 402 of the FWPCA. This regulation is applicable to
discharges that would have an impact, either direct or indirect on the lower
mainstem of the Colorado River System. The lower mainstem is defined as
that portion of the main river from Hoover Dam to Imperial Dam. Hoover Dam
is the first measut'ing point downstream from the division point between the
upper and lower basin.

THE COPE OF COLORADO REGULATIONS

5 CCR-I002.11

1_f