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I--' W ..;::. W Summary The Department of the Interior and the United States Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum and its workgroup, reassessed the adequacy of the Colorado River salinity control program in meeting numeric criteria for salinity at three stations (Hoover, Parker, and Imperial Dams) along the river. This joint evaluation report is a result ofthose efforts; it presents and integrates the respective salinity control programs authorized in the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-320) and amendments in Public Law 98-569. Salinity concentrations of the river have fluctuated significantly over the period 1941-1989, and generally decrease in periods of high flows and increase in periods of low flows, Although high flows in the period 1983 to 1987 temporarily lowered salinity levels in the system, salinity levels are currently rising, The implementation plan identified during this evaluation satisfies salt load reduction objectives and program goals by maintaining average total dissolved solids at Imperial Dam at or below 879 milligrams per liter (mg!L), while the Basin States continue to develop their compact- apportioned waters. The implementation plan will remove about 1.464 million tons of salt per year by the year 2010, and the projected total remaining investment cost (capital and O&M) is approximately $669 million. Public Law 93-320 and its amendment requires that a percentage of the Federal cost be repaid from the Upper and Lower Basin water develop- ment funds with revenue generated from the sale of hydropower. Repayment analysis of the Lower Colorado River Basin Development (LCRBD) Fund prepared for this evaluation shows that sufficient funds are available to cover all costs (capital, operation and maintenance, and interest) of the implementation plan. The LCRBD Fund can repay its share of the costs with an inflation rate of 2.9 percent.