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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />(.0., <br />...;J <br />'-0 <br />N <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />CHAPTER II <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION AND SETTING FOR THE STUDY <br /> <br />SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THE REPORT <br /> <br />The water of the Colorado River is the lifeblood of the arid moun- <br /> <br />tain west and southwestern United States. Its drainage covers portions <br /> <br />of 7 states and l/ 12 of the land area of the 48 contiguous states. Not <br /> <br />only do the people within the basin depend upon it for their economic <br /> <br />security, recreational, and aesthetic needs, but so also do the large <br /> <br />major population centers of Denver, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and <br /> <br />San Diego which lie outside the basin. Over this vast area, the waters <br /> <br />of the Colorado serve many uses in supplying water for cities, irrigated <br /> <br />agriculture, energy production, industry, and mining and in supporting <br /> <br />wildlife, recreation, and areas of unparalleled aesthetic value to the <br /> <br />nation. <br /> <br />For all these varied activities, demands are made upon the river <br /> <br />as both a source of water and a carrier of residuals and byproducts of <br /> <br />man-made as well as natural processes. Consequently, over time the <br /> <br />quality of 1.he water in the Colorado has been seen to deteriorate, with <br /> <br />problems of water use and pollution inputs being further compounded <br /> <br />by the relatively small flow of the river in relation to the basin size. <br /> <br />Certainly the future ability of the Colorado to sustain these uses is <br /> <br />dependent on maintaining qualities of water required for them. <br /> <br />,J <br />