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. w 00 o .....:J and other uses. In time it became quite clear that there had been a general increase in the salinity as a result of develop- ment of the water resources. (U. S. Dept. of the Interior, 1972) . In the first half of the century, siltation was perhaps a more serious problem than salinity. Several important reports to Congress . refer to the problem of siltation and argue that specific development projects would be useful in reducing and controlling silt behind existing dams and in the Imperial Valley region of California. 1 To a great extent, . development projects in both the Upper and Lower Basins have been successful in minimiziI1<g or eliminating many of the problems associated with silt deposits.2 These development projects have also had the effect . of damping out fluctuations in salinity (periodic high concentrations). Although salinity or any othet' kind of pollution was apparently not . regarded as a serious problem at the time the 1922 Compact was being negotiated, it should be pointed out that the issue was addressed, at least . implicitly, when the negotiators agreed to apportion water on the basis of beneficial consumptive use. Since beneficial consumptive use normally involves water quality degradation ci some kind and in some degree, it . can be said that in apportioning the waters of the Colorado for beneficial consumptive use, the negotiators of the Compact were tacitly acknowledging that the Lower Basin entitlement to these waters would be limited in quality . as well as quantity. Again, however, these negotiators apparently did not regard salinity as a critical issue. At least there was no explicit mention . of the matter in the Compact itself and its legislative history. l6 .