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<br />
<br />maintenance of SUitable X1linity levels in the river
<br />system. This is prov,ded lor in three public laws:
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<br />1. Section 15 ot Ihe authorizing legislation for Ihe
<br />Colorado River Storage Project and Participating
<br />PrO)l:,cts stiltes ''The Secretilry of the Interior is
<br />directed 10 continue studies and make reports 10 the
<br />Congress and to the Slates 01 the Colorado R.ver
<br />Basin on tile quality 01 water of the Colorado
<br />River"!p'l. 84-485.1
<br />
<br />2. Section 1501 the authorizing legislation 01 the
<br />San Juan-Chama PrOject ilnd the Navalo Indian
<br />Irrigallon Project slates ''The Secretdry of the
<br />Interior is directed 10 continue hiS studies 01 the
<br />quality ot Ihe water at the Co!orddo River system,
<br />to appraise ils suilabillty for mun'Clpal, domestic,
<br />and industrial use, and lor Irrigation In various areas
<br />01 the United States In which it IS proposed to l*
<br />u sed, to estimate lhe effect 01 additional
<br />developments involVing ils storage and use {whether
<br />heretofore authorized or contemplated for
<br />authorization) on the remaining water available lor
<br />us.e in the Unite,l States, to study all pou,ble means
<br />01 Improvll1g the quality 01 such water and 01
<br />alleviating the ill eflects ot water of poor quality,
<br />and 10 repol! the resul!> of his studies end estimates
<br />to the 87th Cor19less dnd every 2 years thereafter."
<br />(P,l. 87.483,)
<br />
<br />3. AuthoriZing legislation tor the
<br />FrYlngpan-Arkilnsas Project contains Similar
<br />language pertaining to water quality reports Jnd
<br />stipulated thott the flrSl report should he provided
<br />by January 3. 1963, to be followed by submission
<br />of repons every '2 years thereaft'!l. (p,L. 87-590_)
<br />
<br />These acts prOVide dUlhoritv to the Department of the
<br />Interior for bdsinwide planning ot d salinity control
<br />program, Implementation of salinity control projects
<br />will require congreSSional authOrizatIOns, The
<br />responsibility to pldn and Implement the control
<br />program has been !'ntrusted to the Bureau of
<br />RedamatLon, w'th the function to be coordinatoo With
<br />Other agenc,,~s of the Department such as the Qtl,ce 01
<br />Saline Water, Office 01 Waler Resources Research.
<br />Geological Survey, Bureau 01 Land M.:magement,
<br />Bureau 01 Indian Attairs, Buredu of Sport Fisheries and
<br />Wildlife, Burl:'au 01 Outdoor Recreation, and BureJu of
<br />Mmes. As planning progresses, each 01 Ihese agencies
<br />can be e"pected to contllOOtt' to the compretwnSIVt'
<br />program lor >dl.nit" control
<br />
<br />:,,\I.I'\IT) ''\\1-::-;"('1(;.\T10'\=,
<br />
<br />A salinity control program should be regarded as one
<br />filcet 01 d comprehensiv'! plan lor management of the
<br />total water resources of the Colorado River Basin.
<br />Basin water management is the best way to plan and
<br />conltol the interrelated structures and the
<br />nonstructuraf measures to ~Jtlmile the use and
<br />development of the water lesources for the 9000 01 the
<br />p.;ople. Under such manilgement. Ihe effeClS of salinity
<br />would be controlled at levels su;table for the many uses
<br />10 which the water is pl<lced. A program to accomplish
<br />thiS objective would entail evaluation and select Lon 01
<br />the salimty control measures that ~st fit wllhm the
<br />lJaslll water manageml'rlt concept.
<br />
<br />Potential contra! measures include control at the
<br />source, control at diversion points, altermg time
<br />pat1ern 01 waler and salinity discharge, and dilution by
<br />augmentation 01 flow. A lO.year mves!lgatlon entitled
<br />"Colorado River Water Ouallty Improvement Program"
<br />was lIlitialed In 1971 w,th th\! specilic objectlv\! 01
<br />ic1entdying me<lsures that would maintain S<llinity
<br />COTlc\!n!tations at or below levels presently found m
<br />the lower malll,tem
<br />
<br />The Investigation schedule is oJ1own on Figure 2. The
<br />IIlvestlgallons are integrated With OIher programs
<br />involving Wl:1ather mOOlllcalion, geOthermal resources.
<br />desalting, and the Western U.S. Water Plan. Concurrent
<br />lea,ibility investigations are underway on various
<br />irtlgatiofl, pain!, and dJfluse sources, The teaslbilitv of
<br />collecting saline return Ilows and converting them 10
<br />benefiCial consumptive use within the basm is also
<br />bt~ing studied. Related oosinWld" studies are scheduled
<br />to overview rdationst'ups l)('twl'en indiVidual control
<br />units. assess Implicalions of new technolQ9y, and
<br />provide guidance to the selectIOn of implementation
<br />measures Cost-sharing and rerayment formulas ,jre
<br />under study
<br />
<br />The measures currentlv i1veilaole lor controlling
<br />saJln'ty may be categorized as follows.
<br />
<br />1. Point source control involves sillt removal Irom a
<br />local,zed at.',) contrLbuting an ,nordinately hiyh salt
<br />load to the system,
<br />
<br />These SOurces dre generally :;.prongs, wells, geySO'rs, or
<br />mine drainages. Several techmques are available lor
<br />control 01 Ihese sources includmg deS<lltmg,
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