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<br />Dirty Devil River Unit, Utah <br /> <br />Tributaries of the Dirty Devil River originate in the mountains of east- <br />central Utah, and the river flows into the upper end of Lake Powell. The <br />study area is principally high desert, with annual rainfall averaging <br />10 inches or less. Estimated total dissolved solids contributed by the <br />river is 125,000 tons annually. <br /> <br />Investigations have consisted of limited field surveys, data collection, <br />and a 1 iterature search to more accurately identify, locate, and quantify <br />the problem. A planning report is scheduled for completion in September <br />1987. <br /> <br />Blue Springs Unit, Arizona <br /> <br />Blue Springs is on the lower portion of the Little Colorado River within <br />the Navajo Indi an Reservat ion of north-central Ari zona. These spri ngs, <br />while not directly authorized for feasibility study, are the largest point <br />sources of salinity in the Colorado River Basin. They increase the salin- <br />ity concentration of the river at Imperial Dam by an estimated 47 mg/L. <br /> <br />Because of the physical confinement of the deep canyon and the large number <br />of spring openings, it would be economically infeasible to separate the <br />fl ows of the spri ngs from those of the river. Any change of the present <br />chemical, thermal, or flow regimes of the Little Colorado River would be <br />detrimental to the esthetic, recreational, and ecological resources of the <br />area. This, in essence, would place the project in conflict with the <br />mandates of the National Park Service and the Endangered Species Act. <br /> <br />Because of the environmental objections and the significant historical and <br />religious value of the area to the Hopi Indians, together with the expected <br />high capital cost of the project, further studies for the Blue Springs Unit <br />have been deferred. <br /> <br />Saline Water Use and Disposal Opportunities Unit, Basinwide <br /> <br />An appraisal study was initiated in May 1980 to study the opportunities for <br />collecting saline waters in the Colorado River Basin for use in the energy <br />industry. The concepts developed are alternatives to conventional, struc- <br />tural control methods involving lined evaporation ponds and desalination <br />projects. <br /> <br />About 610,000 acre-feet of saline water per year could be collected <br />for disposal or for use in energy development - for cooling coal-fired <br />powerplants and for use in coal transport pipelines and for industrial <br />processes. Of speci al concern in the study are legal and institutional, <br />environmental, and cost-sharing issues. <br /> <br />The September 1981 special report describing the results of the appraisal <br />investigation is available. Followup feasibility studies will depend on <br />congressional authorization. <br /> <br />xx <br />