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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />w <br />~ <br />00 <br />oo,J <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />numerous and complex, including seven states and their agencies, a <br /> <br />strong presence of federal government agencies, numerous irrigation <br /> <br />districts, municipalities, pIus the large population and decision making <br /> <br />centers of Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and San Diego which <br /> <br />lie actually outside the basin. The situation is further complicated since <br /> <br />the Colorado is also an international river, subject to agreements with <br /> <br />Mexico as to quantity and quality of water delivered. <br /> <br />THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL SITUATION <br /> <br />Water Quality Degradation <br /> <br />The use of Colorado River water in a sequential manner, by man and <br /> <br />by nature, causes quality degradation, since no water resources system <br /> <br />can be used both as a source of supply and as a waste sink without quality <br /> <br />degradation down the water course. In an arid land river basin, such as <br /> <br />the Colorado, man's extensive activities in using water for beneficial <br /> <br />purposes has an even more pronounced effect since most of the flow originates <br /> <br />on the high mountain watersheds of the upstream reaches with only a <br /> <br />small portion of low quality tributary inflow downstream. <br /> <br />Salinit y <br /> <br />The overriding water quality problem in the Colorado River is salinity. <br /> <br />All waters contain dissolved salts which are broadly referred to as salinity. <br /> <br />High salinity, or total dissolved solids (TDS), adversely affects the uses <br /> <br />of the water by man. <br /> <br />3 <br />