WSP03141

• File Number: 8270.100
• Description: Colorado River Basin Water Quality/Salinity -- Misc Water Quality
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 1/1/1975
• Author: USDOI
• Title: Quality of Water - Colorado River Basin - Progress Report No. 7 - January 1975
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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INTRODL'CTIO~

Enactment of PL. 92-500 introduced a new factor into the salinity
problem. The legislation has been interpreted by EPA to require thnt
numerical standards for salinity on the Colorado River be set. Conse-
quently in ~avember the EPA suhmi (led to several of the Colorado River
Basin states proposed requirer.wots and procedures for Salinity Control
of the Colorado River System and proposed the establishment of an inter-
state organi7.ation to develop a salinity control plan.

The basin states in r~sponse to EPA's submittal of the proposed
requirements, and to discuss several oth~'r questions that had been
gener.lted relative to c('rtaln sections of PL. 92-500 met on ~ovember 8
and 9, 1973 and a:nong other things formed the "Colorado Ri....er Basin
Salinity Control Forum." /\ statement of position for use in discussing
thp pr,'poscd requirements <tnd procedures for salinity control 101;15 adopted
on ~ollembl.>r 9, Iq7J and states in part:

"TIll.' S ta tes have es tab 1 ishl.~ ."l mechanism for in [ers ta te
cooperation (Color.ldo River Bilsin S.11inity Control Forum) and
for preparation of semi-annual reports on the development of
numeric criteria and the adoption of such criteria by October
IB, 1975."

TIlL' Forum members also .It the :-;ovember B-9, 1973 meetin~ a~reed to
reques tEPA th..l t:

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The Final statement on proposed water quality standards and
standards and plan of implementation for salinity control
should bt> consistent for all seven States of the Colorado
River Basin; and opportunity should be provided for further
direct discussion between rl'present...tives of the Envirorunental
Protection A~ency and the Forum before the proposed regulations
are published in the Federal Regist~'r. . II

Following the formulatfon of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control
Forum,meetings were held with representatives of the EPA in January, ~rch
and April 1974 to discuss the propoRcd regulation on Colorado River Salinity.

The EnVironmental Protection A~ency published a notice of proposed
amend(>!llents to (40 CFR Part l:!O) COLORADO RIVER \-,'ATER SYSTF.~I, Salinity
Control Policy and Standard Procedures in FR OOC 74-13683 da ted 6/12/74.
The notice proposes in part that 40 eFR Part 140 be amended by ilddin~
Section 120.5 Colorado River System Implementation Plan, which reads as
follows:

"(;)) Colorado River Svstem means that portion of the
Colorado River and its tributaries within the t:oited
States of .~erica.

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