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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />t..~ <br />-J <br />~ <br />C;1 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />y. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />CHAPTER I <br /> <br />EXECUTIVE SUMMARY <br /> <br />PURPOSE OF THE STUDY <br /> <br />The purpose of this study is to assess the water quality, technological, <br /> <br />economic, social, environmental and industrial impacts of applying the <br /> <br />Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 (PL 92- 500) to <br /> <br />the Colorado River Basin. This report, covering Phase One of the study, <br /> <br />has two main objectives: l) To present a baseline description of the region <br /> <br />in relation to the major water quality problems, and 2) to describe major <br /> <br />impact issues resulting from the implementation of PL 92-500. <br /> <br />CHARACTER SKETCH OF THE BASIN <br /> <br />The briefest characterization of the past, present and future of the <br /> <br />Colorado River Basin is diversity and change. While the natural contrasts <br /> <br />of verdant slopes, trout streams, deep canyons, and desert ranges remains, <br /> <br />man has wrought great change on this most arid but most spectacularly <br /> <br />beautiful river basin. The l440 mile long Colorado River Basin produces <br /> <br />less water per unit area (6 acre feet/sq. mile) than any other major <br /> <br />U. S. ri ver basin, contains l/l2 of the land area of the 48 states, and <br /> <br />services l5 million people most of whom are outside the basin. <br /> <br />Physical Development <br /> <br />The wild uncontrolled river that John Wesley Powell ran in l869 is <br /> <br />now highly developed and totally regulated, harnessed to serve the <br /> <br />L --'----'-'- <br />