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<br />. - . <br /> <br />lw~ <br /> <br />Water Quality <br /> <br />During the year IhpfP werE' several <br />significant aclions with respect to <br />Colorado River salinity problems. <br /> <br />l\,le,ic.m Sdlinirv \feJ_wr~ <br /> <br />Thai portion of the 1973 agrl:'empnl <br />for a solution 10 thp COlorddo Rl'o'Pf <br />salinity problem with V1el.ico. Minute <br />No. 242 of the Internalional Boundary <br />.md Waler Commission. th.u ff>Quirffi <br />construction of works was to bt>come <br />{'ffective onl~' <lIter duthorizdtion of <br />funds by ConRress. This was <br />accomplished by enactmf'nt of thE' <br />Colorado River BiI..in Sdlinily Control <br />Act, Public LdW 93-320. on lune 24, <br />1974. <br />Title I of P.L. 93-320 authorizes ,ht> <br />construction of a liHS!:' dp<)alling plant <br />to de-.allthe W",lhon-Vlohawk drain <br />water; a lined candllO convey the <br />plan!'s brine 10 the Gulf of C.1lifornia; <br />reduction of the irri~ilble ilCfeilFW in <br />the Wellton.\.10hilwk Di~ui(t bv <br />lO,OClO ilcrf>S; improvpmenl of <br />irrigation efficipncy in the diwicl to <br />reduce irrigiltion rpturn ilows Irom <br />around no,OClO acre-ff"el per ...eiH to <br />less thdn 175,000 due-feet per Yt'ar, <br />and install,nion and operation of a <br />....ellfield along the Arizond-50nora <br />border to prott"Ct dRilinst thf' lo..s of <br />wound watf'r to r...1exico. It also <br />dirpcts studies to be made of <br /> <br />medsures to replilce the brine <br />dischiHgt'd by the dt'sahing plant, <br />which is rt'<ognizl:'d as d national <br />obligation. <br />In addItion, Title I authorizes <br />construction of a new concrf'te-lined <br />canal 10 repldce the fir...t 49 miles of <br />the existing unlined Coachella Canal. <br />The Unitro Statf><> will be enhtlt'd to <br />It'mporary use of a quantity oj water <br />equal 10 the quantit\i conserved b\' <br />the new canal for the purpor.e of <br />mf"etlng the salinilY control objeoj\'e<, <br />oi Minute No. 242. The temporary <br />period will {'nd the first Yt'dr the <br />5eu{.tary of thp Interior d{'li\'er.. less <br />main stream Colorado River watpr to <br />California dgencif><> holding Colorado <br />RI\er watl:'r rights than is requested by <br />them. <br />Thp act aUlhorized the <br />appropriation of $ 155.5 million baspd <br />on 1973 prices for the capital co..t~ of <br />Implempnting the Titlp I featur(>.., This <br />Includes an p<,!imalt'd $2 million 10 <br />..tud.... fedsible m(>asures to provide <br />rpplan'men! waler for the brine from <br />lht, de'>dlting plant <br /> <br />Colorddo Ril'er Ba~in Salinit.. <br />Control Pro8rdm <br /> <br />Tille II of P.l. 91-320 directs the <br />Secrpt,Hv of thp Interior to implement <br />thp salinity control policv adopted for <br /> <br />Pmtob"dll r'l'hlm r;'dTJd <br />VJ/ll'~ Coin <br /> <br /> <br />thp COlorddo Ri\'er by the 1972 <br />5t,vt'nth Se<;",ion of the C!JnferE'ncE' in <br />the Mdllpr of Pollution of the <br />Intt'rstatp Water<; of the Colorado <br />Ri\er. The key element of thaI policy <br />is tht' maintpnance of s.alinity <br />concentralions at or below 1972 levels <br />In thE' lower main ..t{'m while the <br />UpPt'r Basin continue.. to de...efop its <br />(Ompilcl-.lpponionro water... <br />Thf> act duthorized the conmuction <br />01 four 'xllimt.... control projects as the <br />IMlal ..ta~e 01 the Colorddo Riwr <br />Ba..in sJ:linity control prol':ram. It is <br />{.....timatro that th{'<,{' Prolect.. will <br />rpmow bt'lw(>{'n 500,000 and 6OO,0Cl0 <br />Ions of s.alt J: vedr from the river. The <br />act al..o aUlhorin>d the dppropridtion <br />of $125.1 million for the construction <br />thereof. Thp authorilt"d proiects arp <br />as (otlow..~ <br />I. The Pdradm. Valley unit. <br />Colorado, con..isting of f.1(ilitit>s for <br />collection and disposal of thE' salinp <br />~fOund wilter 01 Paradox VallE'.... <br />which now enter.. the Dolores River. <br />It IOclud{><, wells, pumps, pipelinf><>, <br />.1nd pvapura!ion ponds, <br />2. Tht> Grand Valley unit, Colorado, <br />consIsting of mea..ures ilnd all <br />n<-'Ce....ar... associatro ....ork.. to reduce <br />Ih{. pickup of "'.lit.. underlying the <br />Irri~lted land... of Grand Valley and <br />lh{' sub..equpnl flow of salt 'dden <br />watprs into thp Colorado Ri...PL <br />Mea..ur{'s include lining of cdnal.. and <br />lalE'rab, combining of canal.. and <br />lalerals, .lnd technical assi..tdnce to <br />Irrigators, <br />3. Tht> Crvstill Gp.....pr unit, Utdh, <br />consisting of filCilities for collection <br />and disposal of saline I'!eyser <br />di~ch.H~es which now entpr the <br />Grf"en River. It includf:>S dikps, <br />plpt'linp<" i1nd evaporatIon ponds. <br />4 Th{. las Vega.. Wash unit, <br />"e\ada, consisting of facilities for <br />collection dnd di..posal oi saline <br />ground water.... hich now entpr5 Ll.. <br />V~ilS Wash and thence into Lake <br />'lead. It includps infiltralion gdJlerip<" <br />pump.., des.aher, pipeline.., and <br />e\ dporation facilities. <br />Title II of P.L. 93-320 also dlrt"Cls <br />lhe Secrelar.... of Interior to undendk.e <br />rt.'Sedrch on additional methods of <br />dccomplishlOR the Sdlinity control <br /> <br />7 <br />