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<br />-.:l" <br />'. C'-J <br />-.::.> <br />.-l <br />,-. <br />..- <br />.-., <br />'.- <br /> <br />unless salinity controls are implemented, future increases in salinity con- <br />centrations will seriously affect water use patterns and will result in large <br />economic losses. <br /> <br />At the present time, estimated economic losses in the Colorado Basin exceed <br />$16 million per year as the result of poor mineral water quality. Without <br />control measures it is estimated that these losses will cl imb to $51 mill ion <br />by the year 2010. The $51 million does not include losses incurred in <br />Mexico, or to the recreation and fisheries resources associated with the <br />Salton Sea in California. <br /> <br />Table 7 is taken from the Environmental Protection Agency report which shows <br />the nature, location and magnitude of salt sources in the Basin: <br /> <br />TABLE 7 <br /> <br />. SUMMARY OF SALT LOAD DISTRIBUTIONS <br />(1963-1966 ) <br /> <br /> Sal t Load (1 ,000 Tn/Yr) Percent of Total Load <br /> Upper Lower Above Upper Lower Above <br />Source Basin Bas i n Hoover Dam Basin Basi n Hoover Dam <br />Natural Di ffuse Sources 4,400 1,400 5,760 52.2 52.1 53.7 <br /> -- -_. <br />~Natu ra 1 Point Sources 510 770 1,280 6.1 28.6 11.9 <br />I rri gati on 3,460 420 3,540 41.1 15.6. 33.0 <br /> - <br />Muni ci pa 1 and Indu~tri al 50 100 150 0.6 3.7 1.4 <br /> -- <br />Totals 8,420 2,690 10,730 100.0 100.0 100.0 <br /> <br />It is recognized in the Environmental Protection Agency report that natural <br />sources, including both diffuse and point sources, are the most significant <br />sources of salt loads in the Colorado River Basin. They contribute about <br />two-thirds of the average annual salt load passing Hoover Dam. Of this, <br />diffuse sources account for 53.7 percent of the total. Natural diffuse pick <br />up of mineral salts by surface runoff and groundwater inflow tak~s place <br />th)~ugh the Colorado River Basin; however, the areas responsibie for the <br />greatest salt loads are located in the Upper Basin. <br /> <br />Present studies show that about 3.5 million tons of salt are added annually <br />by return flows from irrigated agriculture. This is about one-th~rd of th" <br />salt load at Hoover Dam. The amount of salt loading will increaSE in the <br /> <br />- 14 - <br />