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<br />
<br />l I HI: PROlH 11\1
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<br />A total salt load offbout
<br />9 mlllion tons annually entering
<br />Lake Mead in the loWer Colorado
<br />River Basin adverselyjlffects more
<br />than 18 million peopl~ and more
<br />.than 1 million acres ofilrrigated
<br />farmland in the Unlt.,q States, A
<br />comprehensive study to update the
<br />economic impacts of s~linity in the
<br />Colorado River was ccjmpleted and
<br />published in February11988, The
<br />report, Estimating Economic Impacts
<br />of Salinity of the Colorado River,
<br />provided new estimat+s of salinity
<br />damages as a range oficosts
<br />depending upon the a,sumptions
<br />for current total dissolved solids
<br />(TDS) and baseline Tds conditions
<br />used in the analysis, '/lhe estimated
<br />1986 total damages fro]n Colorado
<br />River salinity average!l311 mlllion
<br />annually based on the:
<br />1976-85 average level6f river
<br />J .
<br />salinity and the 500 mg/L baseline
<br />
<br />TOTAL_$311 mllllo6
<br />
<br />IndustrylU~lltles
<br />$ 9
<br />
<br />Based on 10-yr avg
<br />TDS In the rIver and :
<br />500 mglL base
<br />
<br />vaiue, A distribution of damages
<br />for all sectors of water use is shown
<br />in figure 3,
<br />
<br />The losses associated with
<br />municipal and industrial use sector
<br />occur primarily from increased
<br />water treatment costs, accelerated
<br />pipe deterioration and appliance
<br />wear, automotive radiators,
<br />increased soap and detergent needs,
<br />and decreased water palatability,
<br />According to the Environmental
<br />Protection Agency (EPA), the
<br />recommended secondary standard
<br />for public drinking water should
<br />contain no more than 500 mg/L of
<br />TDS,
<br />
<br />For irrigators, the higher salinity
<br />concentrations cause lower crop
<br />yields, altered crop patterns, higher
<br />leaching and drainage require-.
<br />ments, and higher management
<br />
<br />Household
<br />$ 156
<br />
<br />Policy
<br />$ 33
<br />
<br />Agriculture
<br />$ 113
<br />
<br />Figure 3, - Annuj>l salinity damages in the Lower Colorado River Basin
<br />in million $/yr,
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