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<br />THE SOLUTION
<br />
<br />In 1972, an emendment to the Federal Water
<br />Pollution Control Act, Public Law 92-500, set
<br />forth a public policy Sllbracing the restora-
<br />tion and maintenance of water quality, pollu-
<br />tion effluent discharge limitation, and
<br />eventual zero pOllution discharge by 1985.
<br />The Act was interpreted by the EPA (Environ-
<br />mental Protection Agency) to requir-e numerical
<br />salinity criteria and a plan of imp1enentation
<br />for the Colorado River. NlJ1Ierlcal criteria
<br />were subsequently established at three sta-
<br />tions by the Fortll1 (Colorado River Basin
<br />Salinity Control Forum), adopted by each of
<br />the Basin States, and approved by EPA. The
<br />criteria, set in terms of milligt"a1Is per liter
<br />of TDS are:
<br />
<br />Station
<br />
<br />.Annual
<br />f10w":weighted
<br />averageT.DS.
<br />
<br />Below Hoover Dem
<br />Below Parker Oem
<br />At. Imperial (}iIIl
<br />
<br />723_mg/L
<br />747 mg/L
<br />879. mg/L
<br />
<br />To meet.these criteria, about 2.8 million tons-
<br />per year of salt .win need to be removed from
<br />the river's waters by soon after_ the. turn of
<br />the century. The overall approach to meeting
<br />the standards is to prevent salt from entering
<br />and mixing with the river's flow. A number of
<br />agr1cultural, point, and diffuse sources of
<br />salinity have been identified throughout the
<br />Basin. Those sources- that can be intercepted
<br />and prevented from entering the river at least
<br />cost will be implemented to control the
<br />river's salinity.
<br />
<br />COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY C(mTROL FORUM
<br />The Forum is co~posed of water_ resou~ce. and
<br />water quality representatives fr()IQ -e"ach of the
<br />seve~ Colorado .River. Basin States, appointed
<br />by hlS respectlVe governor. A list of current
<br />menbers follows.
<br />The Forum was establ ished by the states to
<br />develop water Quality standards. Section 303
<br />of the clean Water Act of I977 requires that
<br />~hese ~ater Qual ity standards be reviewed
<br />trom tlme to time, but at least ('nc-e "'very
<br />3 years. . ~
<br />
<br />The seven-state For~ with th.e aid of the Work
<br />Group prepa~es a ~evielV of the ~ater Quality
<br />standards, IOcJudlng numeric criteria_ and
<br />plan of i~plsnentation previous"ly r:leveloJ:>ed by
<br />the F?run. The 1981 review includes the .
<br />.modlflcations or revisions to the plan of
<br />imp1snentation that have become necessary _as a
<br />r:s~lt _of ,Changed conditions and the availa-
<br />bl11ty of better information.
<br />
<br />The.For'~'s Work Group is' the technical 'or'
<br />englneerlng arm of the Forum. -The Work Group
<br />consists of _at least one representative.from
<br />each of the Basin States, who mayor may not
<br />be a menber of the Fonm. The bask function
<br />is to provide technical review and analysis
<br />for the ForlJ1l. the policy-making group.
<br />
<br />The plan of implementation, as set forth in
<br />both the 1975 and 1978 ForlJ1l reports inc Judes
<br />the Federal salinity control units discussed
<br />in another section of this panphlet. It also
<br />in~Judes effluent limitations for industrial
<br />pOlnt Source discharges with the- object ive of
<br />no salt return wherever practicable. In
<br />February 1977, ~he ForLlll adOPted the "Po I icy
<br />for Implementatlon of Colorado River Salinity
<br />Standa~ds Throu9h. t~e NPDES (National Pollu-
<br />tion Dlscharge Ellmlnation System) Permit
<br />Prograrr," This policy was adopted by an.of
<br />
<br />In. June 1974, Congress enacted the Colorado
<br />River Basin Salinity Control Act, Public Law
<br />93-320, which, anong other things. directed
<br />the Secretary of the Interior to expedite- the
<br />completion of planning reports on 12 salinity
<br />control units and to proceed with construction
<br />of _the Paradox Valley, Grand Valley, Crystal
<br />Geyser, and Las V@gas Wash Units.
<br />
<br />Interagency approach
<br />
<br />An issue as a1l-encompassfng as salinity
<br />control touches many perspectives. Various
<br />governmental entities have diverse capablli-
<br />ties that can be marshalled to most effec.
<br />tive1y implement control measures. Also,
<br />various pUblics view salinity control
<br />differently.
<br />
<br />-. , At_t,he_.state, level.., a1_1 seven Colorado River.
<br />. 8"as 1n States have joined eHa'rts to _adop~ .
<br />standards and. to implement a p1an.to meet'
<br />thos-e :st_andards -while deve{opment of water
<br />supp_lies-contioues. To accompliSh need~
<br />".cootdinati9n,_ the GovernorS of e,ach_.state
<br />appojnted repre~entat1ves to the Colorado
<br />'River-Basin Salinity Control ForUllt and tl:Je
<br />Colorado River ,Basin Salinity Control Advisor,y
<br />. '. CQunci.1, grout!"s 'whiCh coordinate State actions
<br />'-aM' ad....ise the. Federal Government of the state
<br />- v'i,ews_.on issues .affecting water. quality
<br />.: stalidards and- ways t.o meet: those standards.
<br />
<br />At.jhe-.Feder"a1 level, sa:l1~ity control requires
<br />.. c'('lordin-at ion efforts of the Department of the
<br />Interior, the EPA. and the Department of
<br />Agr'icu1ture. The capabilities of those
<br />Federal agencies have been combined to improve
<br />management of irrigated agriculture through
<br />research and onfarm improvements and to
<br />implement structural and nonstructural mea-
<br />sures to intercept and control sources of
<br />man-caused and natural salt load.
<br />
<br />the Basin States . and .provides detailed guid-
<br />ance in the appllcatlon of salinity standards
<br />developed pursuant to section 303 of the Clean
<br />Water ~ct ~d through the NPOES pennitting
<br />~uthorl~y ln the regulation of municipal and
<br />IndU$trlal paint. Source discharges.
<br />In September 1980, t~e ForlJ1l adopted a "Pol icy
<br />for the Use.of Bracklsh and/or Saline Waters
<br />for ,lndustna1 Pur:poses~ where it is environ_
<br />mental ~y sound. and econcrnically feasible and
<br />where lt~, use would not sign-ificant 1y' increase
<br />.conS.Ufnpt lve, use o! Co lorado' River system. "
<br />. . water. ,fur~her, the use of brackish waters
<br />for :_iocju~trlal. p~"rp_oses ~s -an- additional
<br />m:_dsure ln r~dl!c,"g salt contributions to the
<br />.rl,V/;!.r system.
<br />,The ~orlJ1l,. at its meet ing on September 22
<br />~~,80, ~jred .Jack .11,.- Barnett- as its first'
<br />.!-xec~.t.lve Dlrector. The Executive Director
<br />pro"'ld:~ a fqcal po,int of contact for the.
<br />:orlll:Jl ~n d~a:Jjng with salinity problems of
<br />- "lnte_r.sta~E! significance. > Mr. Barnett's.
<br />address 1S 220 South 200 East Salt Lake City
<br />Utah 84111... ' '. '
<br />
<br />FortJll Hembers.
<br />
<br />~
<br />Or, Ronald M111er, Chief, Bureau of Water
<br />Quality Control
<br />
<br />W. Don Maughan. Deputy Director Department
<br />of Water Resources '
<br />
<br />California
<br />
<br />Wi 11 ian Attwater, Deputy Execut ive Director
<br />and Chief Counsel, State Water Resources
<br />Control Board
<br />
<br />Myr?n B. H01burt. Chief Engineer, Colorado
<br />RlVer Board of California
<br />
<br />.8"
<br />
<br />The seeningly complex Institutional systan
<br />has been tailored to 'effectively use the
<br />individual capabilities available in many
<br />Quarters. The common goal of salinity control
<br />mak.es the system function smoothly.
<br />
<br />
<br />THE STATES
<br />
<br />The Colorado River Basin States support tlfe
<br />sal inity control progran through water Quanty
<br />management plans, effluent discharge control,
<br />and education in the control of salinity.
<br />
<br />The Basin States are Individually developing
<br />water Quality managenent plans to conform with
<br />the requirement.6 of section 208 of the Clean
<br />Water Act. These requirsnents include:
<br />pub 1 ic . involvement, prob1en assessment,
<br />idenqficat,ion of best man,agsnent practices,
<br />.establ i.sl1nent of control progr?lllS~ .and desig-
<br />nation of m.an"ag_8nent agencies.
<br />
<br />State _lIrogr(Jl\S also inClude the control of.
<br />.tota1 disso lvei:!" so l1ds from point discharges
<br />-through the NPD'ES permit progriJII. Fish
<br />.hatcheries, 1L111ber products mills, sewage
<br />treatment p1 ants, - and PDl1erpl ant wastes "
<br />are some of the municipal and industrial
<br />effluen_t sources under control. Reuse of
<br />treated wastewater_ is encouraged as a general
<br />principle.. "
<br />
<br />Education and:"public. involvement are a chal-
<br />lenge,. The basinwide nature of salinity
<br />requires an awareness of salinity - sources,
<br />impacts, and alternative methods of control.
<br />The Basin States continue to work with con-
<br />cerned agencies to increase public understand-
<br />Ing of sal inlty and coordinate this effort
<br />through the Forum.
<br />
<br />~
<br />
<br />D. Monte Pascoe, Executive Director
<br />Department of Natural Resources '
<br />
<br />Or. Frank Traylor, Executive Director
<br />Department of Health '
<br />
<br />David Robbins, Attorney at law
<br />
<br />~
<br />.Dua~e ((. Sud~ee~s, Administrator, Colorado
<br />RlVer Commlsslon of Nev.ada
<br />. L, H., Dodgion," .Admini stratal', Bureau of
<br />" Envlronmental. Health
<br />Ro 1 and 'D. Weste.r:gard, Director, Department
<br />of Natural-Resources
<br />New Mexico
<br />
<br />Stephen E. "Reynolds, State Engineer
<br />Utah
<br />
<br />Calvin Sudweeks Director. Bureau of Water
<br />Pollution '
<br />
<br />Daniel F. Lawrence, Director, DiviSion of
<br />Water Resources
<br />
<br />Wyominq
<br />Wi I liilll l. Garland Administrator. Water
<br />Quality DiviSion: Department of Environ_
<br />mental Quality
<br />George Chrlstopu10s, State Engineer
<br />
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