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~ ~J ~ "' " . ;~"l c The report projects that in the absence of any corrective measures the salinity at Lee Ferry, immediately below Lake Powell, will increase by over 30 percent in the next 30 years, reaching an average annual value of 800 ppm by the year 2000. At Parker Dam where The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California diverts Colorado River water and where the Central Arizona Project aqueduct will divert in the future, salinity of the river was projected to increase to over 1100 ppm--a 50 percent increase--by year 2000. At Imperial Dam where major diversions are made for agricultural use both in California and in Arizona, the year 2000 salinity was pro- jected to be approximately 1340 ppm, an increase of nearly 60 percent. The Board's study shows that, because of the changing salt--water relationships in the lower river, salinity increases at Lee Ferry result in larger increases below Lee Ferry. Thus, the 3 ppm increase at Lee Ferry, estimated on page 2-4 of the Bechtel report to be the effect on water quality if the disposal plan recommended by Bechtel is adopted, will cause a 6 ppm increase in salinity at Imperial Dam. Damages Due to Increasing Salinity Substantial damages will result to users of Colorado River water because of increases in the river's salinity. The projected salinity increases are not the result of anyone single industry, city, or agricultural project, but are the cumulative effect of many individual projects. The damages to California users alone have been estimated to be in the range of $8 to $10 million per year for each 100 ppm increase in the river's salinity at Imperial Dam. The 6 ppm increase at Imperial Dam would thereby cause damages in California in the -2-