WSP02185

• File Number: 8272.100.70
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 9/1/1991
• Title: The Brownell Task Force and the Mexican Salinity Problem - A Narrative Chronology of Events
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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We had high hopes for desalting in those days, and were intrigued by the experimental plant at
Roswell, New Mexico. Maybe we got carried away by gadgets. I'm glad to see, in retrospect,
that the improvements in irrigation efficiency have been so substantial. The Bureau pooh,.poohed
it, and I wasn't sure it would work as well as it has.

All in all, my involvement with the Task Force was a very frustrating experience. I felt we'd
been used. Two constructive things did come out of it, though. First, the seven Basin States,
for the first time in history, cooperated on something. Because we recognized our commort
goals and the benefits of cooperation, we were able to get the Title IT program authorized.
Second, the idea [promoted by EPA] of setting numerical limits on water quality at state
boundaries was rejected. It's a fact that you can't use water without degrading it. upstream
quality needed to be addressed as well, if we were to be able to continue to develop our
allotments-or even operate the projects already built-and still give downstream users usable
water. That's why we supported Title II, even though we rejected the proposed water quality
standards.

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