WSP03837

• File Number: 8210.140.20
• Description: Colorado River Basin Organizations and Entities - Colorado River Basin States Forum - California
• State: CA
• Basin: Western Slope
• Date: 1/1/1980
• Author: Myron B Holburt
• Title: Appendix to Annual Report of the Colorado River Board of California for the Calendar Year 1979
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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WATER QUALITY

During the 1979 calendar year, the average flow-weighted salinity
of the waters delivered to Mexico above Morelos Dam was 739 ppm and the
salinity of the Colorado River waters which arrived at Imperial Dam was
809 ppm. Thus, the differential between the average salinities at
Morelos Dam and Imperial Dam was -70 ppm. This value not only falls
within the requirement of Minute No. 242 of the International Boundary
and Water Commission that the differential be no greater than 115 ~ 30
ppm, it is also the first year since Minute No. 242 commenced that
salinity at Morelos Dam has been lower than at Imperial Dam. This
unusual situation occurred because of the large quantities of Gila
River flood waters of low salinity that entered the Colorado River
below Imperial Dam and above Morelos Dam.

During the same period, all of the drainage return flows from the
!lellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, 177,900 acre-feet, were
bypassed to the Colorado River below Morelos Dam and Santa Clara Slough
via the \'le11ton-Mohawk bypass drain. Of this amount, 16,600 acre-feet
were replaced by ground water from the Yuma Mesa well field and the
balance, 161,300 acre-feet, would have had to be released from storage.
except that the releases from the Lower Basin flood control dams and the
anticipatory flood releases from Lake Mead provided more than enough
water to replace the bypassed quantities.

Table 11 summarizes operations under Minutes Nos. 218, 241, and
242 for the period 1970 through 1979.

REGIONAL \'lATER AND ,POlnm DEVELOPUENT

Western States Water Council

The Western States Hater Council (WSVIC) was established by the
Western Governor's Conference in 1964 and 1965 to promote effective
cooperation among western states in the integrated development of their
water resources. Eleven states were included in the Council initially,
with Texas joining in 1978. California's Council delegates in 1979
were Ronald B. Robie. Director of the Department of Water Resources,
W. Don Maughan, Vice Chairman of the State Water Resources Control Board
(until November 1979), and Ruben Ayala, State Senator, 32nd District.
The Board's Chief Engineer continued to serve as an advisor to the Cali-
fornia delegation.

During 1979, the Council adopted the following resolutions or
positions of interest to the Board:

1. Req~ested Congress to reinstate a $5 million level of funding
for fiscal year 1980 for construction of publicly owned wastewater treat-
ment works in accordance with the Clean Water Act of 1977.

2. '~ile not opposing the principle of equitable cost sharing of
water development projects, the Council adopted a position seeking removal
of objectionable features from the Carter Administration's proposed cost-
sharing legislation and opposed that bill. The position also included
many specific suggestions to the cost-sharing proposal. A 12-month-long
joint federal-state review of cost-sharing was urged.

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