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<br />" oj <br />CD <br />..:)" <br />L.'oooat <br />::-.J <br /> <br />c.~, <br /> <br />II. ItHlZiJ!JUCTlON <br /> <br />The Colorado Kiver system drains 244,iJUO square uiles of tile western United <br /> <br />:;tates and a small portion of northern Hexico. Its waters serve some 2.25 <br /> <br />million people within the United States portion of theoasin, and through <br /> <br />export, provide full or supplemental water supply to another 12 million <br /> <br />people. The regional economy is based on irrigated agriculture, livestock <br /> <br />grazing, mining, forestry, manufacturing, oil and gas production, and <br /> <br />tourism. About 2.6 million acres are irrigated within the ~asin and hundreds <br /> <br />of thousands of acres are irrigated by waters exported from the Basin. Ibe <br /> <br />Colorado itiver also serves about 1. 5 lilil1ion_.l'..~~}'le and4_2~.,~~:.:!-g~ <br />acres in the itepublic of Nexico. <br />-"---~~---... <br /> <br />Salinity l~s long been recognized as one of tne illaJor problems of tne river. <br /> <br />Tile Colorado J lik.e most western rivers) iucreases in saliIL1ty from its <br /> <br />neadwaters to its mouth. It is one of the most physicalLY develoved and <br /> <br />regulated rivers in the world. It is completely consumed, and water stopved <br /> <br />flowing to the Gulf of California in 1964. Salinity increases from both <br /> <br />natural and manmade causes. Natural causes include salt contribution of <br /> <br />saline springs and other ground waters, erosion and solution of sediments, <br /> <br />and the concentrating effects of evaporation and transpiration. Man-caused <br /> <br />increases in salinity result from the diversion, consumptive use, <br /> <br />out-of-basin exports of water, and salt loading in return flows. The largest <br /> <br />man-induced increase in salinity is caused by the concentrating effect of, <br /> <br />and salt loading associated with, irrigated agriculture. Over 1.6 oillion <br /> <br />acres are irrigated in the Upper Colorado Region. <br /> <br />A progr~ to control salinity is addressed in the Colorado River Basin <br /> <br />:;alinity Control Act of 1914 (Public Law 9j-j2iJ). Tne Act has two major <br /> <br />cOlllponents. Title I is to facilitate delivery to l'lexico the quantity of <br /> <br />8 <br />