WSP02457

• File Number: 8276.400
• Description: McElmo Creek Unit - Colorado River Salinity Control Program
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 5/1/1981
• Title: Draft Status Report - McElmo Creek Unit
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

agreement with Mexico of Au~ust 30, 1973, Minute No. 242 of the Inter-

national Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico. In

brief, Title I provides the means of accomplishing the requirements of

Minute 242, which requires that the water delivered to Mexico be no more

than 115 parts per million (ppm) plus or minus 30 ppm higher in salinity

than the Colorado River water arrivin~ at Imperial Dam upstream of the

United States-Mexican Border (ppm is a measure of the parts per million

concentration of total dissolved solids, an indicator of salinity

concentration and is essentially equivalent to concentrations expressed

in mg!L).

Title II of the Act provides for programs to control the salinity of

the Colorado River upstream of Imperial Dam to meet the salinity standards

established by the basin States. It also authorized the construction of

four salinity control units: Paradox Valley Unit, Grand Valley Unit,

Crystal Geyser Unit, and Las Ve~as Wash Unit.

Title II also authorized and directed the Secretary of the Interior

to expedite the completion of the planning reports listed in the

Secretary I S Report, "Colorado River Water Oual ity Improvement P ro!,ram,

February 1972," which is essentially the Colorado River Water Ouality

Improvement Program. The Water Ouality Improvement Program is a general

investigation program developed in early 1971 by the Water and Power

Resources Service (Water and Power), Subsequent legislation, Public Law

96-375, dated October 3, 1980, specifically authorizes feasibility level

studies on the McElmo Creek and nine other salinity control units.

(See location map.)

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