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. . ~ 00 o cr~ . . . . . . . . . Water quality has worsened under this doctrine for a variety of related reasons. One is that the use of water for water quality control (e. g. , dilution) is rated as a low priority use in most of the states, if it is recognized as a beneficial use at all. Also, as pointed out earlier, the beneficial use of water (in municipalities, industries, etc.) almost always results in water quality degradation. On the control side, water quality limitations on beneficial use are almost always opposed or resisted by water users. Some even go so far as to claim that rights to the beneficial consumptive use of water implies a right to pollute and that water quality limitations constitute a "taking" in violation of due process. To avoid such ambiguity in the law and to provide incentive for compliance with water quality limitations on use, atherlJ'are proposing that the concept of beneficial use be revised or reinterpreted so as to prescribe advanced technology and management practices in the exercise of water rights. Early Water Pollution Concerns At the meetings of the "Seventh Enforcement Conference in the Matter of Pollution of the Interstate Waters of the Colorado River and its Tributaries, " Ellis Armstrong made this statement: Recognition of the potential water quality problems was made as early as 1903, with the initial work to identify desirable salinity levels for maintenance of crop production under irrigation. At that time a limited amount of water sampling and analysis of. the river was being performed, primarily by the Geological Survey. The main purpose of early tests was to evaluate the suitability of the water supply for irrigation 15 ~l.