WSP01409

• File Number: 8278
• Description: Title I
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1984
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Title I Overview
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

CRBSCP and CRWQIP

In addition to these two criteria set forth in the act. a
third factor, the maximum quantity of replacement
water necessary. needed to be etllahlished as a basis for
the identification of possible replacement sources. Early
computer modeling studies identified 42,000 acre-feet
per year 88 8 maximum amollnt of reject that could be
expected from the desalting plant during )'ears of maxi-
mum production. It is necessary. therefore, to iden-
tify replacement sources which could provide 42.000
acre-feel of water in any given year. This amount may
\'sry somewhat since it is dependent on final sizing
studies on the desalting plant. In 1978, a status report
was prepared on the Reject Stream Replacement Stud)'.

Coachella Canal Unit. - This unit is in""oh"ed in replac-
ing the first 49 miles of the existing unlined Coachella
Canal with a new concrete-lined canal. This action will
sa"e most of the water that is being lost through seep-
age in the unlined reach of the canal.

The United States is entitled to temporarj' use of the
M\'ed water during an interim period, for the purpose of
meeting the salinity control objecti\'es of Minute No.
242. The interim period commences on completion of
construction of the new canal and will end the first year
that the Secretary of the Inlerior delivers mainstream
Colorado River water to California in an amount less
than the sum of the quantities requested by (I) the
California agencies under contracts made pursuant to
Section 5 of the Boulder Canyon Project Act, and (2)
Federal establishment to meet water rights acquired in
California in accordance with the Supreme Court decree
in Ariwna v. California.

In connection with the reconstruction of Coachella
Canal, the act also provides. as a nonstructural measure,
for acquisition of land on the Imperial East Mesa.
California. which receives or has been granted the right
to receive water from Imperial Irrigation District's
capacit). in the Coachella Canal. About 4.200 acres of
land are involved.

Prorecli1..'€ and Regulatory Pumping Unit. - This unit
will provide for construction of a well field located on a
5-mile-wide strip of land along the Southerl)" Interna-
tional Boundal}" between Arizona and Sonora. Mexico.
Minute No. 242 limits the quantity of water pumped
from the combination of pri,'ate wells and the unit well
field to 160,000 acre-feet annually. A significant amount
of the water pumped b)" the unit will be delh"ered to the
Southerl)' International Boundary near San Luis. Ariz-
ona. Thi.s water. when combined with the drainage and
regulatolj" waste flows from the Valley Dh'ision of the
Yuma Project, will make up the 140,000 acre-feet per
)"ear of water delh:ered to Mexico at the Southerly In-
ternational Boundary. This water. with the 1.36 mil-

3

lion acre-feet of water delivered at the Northerly Inter-
national Boundary. will make up the 1.5 million acre.
feet of Mexican Treaty entitlement to Colorado River
water.

A smaller portion of Ihe water pumped will be a\'ailable
for use in Arizona for agricultural and other purposes.
As a nonstructural measure, the act authorized acquisi.
tion of ahout 23,500 acres of land. or interest therein.
within 5 miles of the Mexican Border for the well field
on Yuma Mesa.

In 1983, construction was essentially completed on the
Coachella Canal Unit and about 60 percent completed on
the Protective and Regulatory Pumping Unit. Also in
1983, in,'estigations on the replacement of the reject
stream from the Yuma Desalting Plant were completed,
and construction was underway on the Desalting Com.
plex Unit.

Power will be supplied to the Desalting Complex Unit by
the Department of Energ)"s Parker-Davis Project Trang.
mission System. which connects the Yuma area with the
system of the utilities operating in the power Buppl)"
area. The source of the electrical energy will be the
Navajo Generating Station (Navajo Project). a private
development located near Page, Ariwna. in which the
Bureau of Reclamation is a participant. This source was
developed to supply the power requirements of the
Central Ariwna Project and augment the Lower Colo-
rado River Basin Fund. The power can be utilized from
the inservice date of the Yuma Desalting Plant because
of the nonconcurred need of the Central Arizona Pro-
ject. Other sources are under study to prm.ide an al-
ternate power supply. Energ}" for operating the well
field of the Protecth"e and Regulatory Pumping Unit
eventually will be served from the same source as that
of the Yuma Desalting Plant. Because of the earlier
inservice date associated with the well field. power will
be supplied. on an interim basis.. from the Colorado
River Storage Project.

COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY
CONTROL - TITLE II

Programs Upstream From Imperial Dam

The program plan is to construct. operate, and maintain
certain works in the Colorado River Basin for control of
the salinity of water deli\"ered to users in the United
States and Mexico.

Paradox Valle)" Unit. - This Colorado unit will consist
of facilities for collection and disposition of Paradox
Valley saline ground water. Wells, pumps.. pipelines. a
h)'drogen-sulphide stripping plant, solar e'.aporation