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<br />TliE SOLUTION
<br />
<br />In 1972, an amendment to the F~I Water Pollution
<br />Control Act, Public Law 9'2-500 and sl(bsequently the
<br />Clean Water Act of 1977, set forth"a plJbllc policy .
<br />embracing the restoration and maln_ce of water
<br />quality, pollution effluent discharge lim{tatlon, and
<br />eventual zero pollution discharge. The~was interpreted
<br />by the EPA (Environmental Protection agency) to require ,
<br />water quality standards, consisting of numerical salinity
<br />criteria and a plan of Implementation tdr the Colorado
<br />River. Numerical criteria were subsequebttyestabllshed at
<br />three stations by the Forum (Colorado Ajver Basin Salinity
<br />Control Forum), adopted by each of the ,assln States, and
<br />approved by EPA. The criteria, set In terms of milligrams
<br />per liter of TOS are:
<br />
<br />Locatlon
<br />
<br />Annual
<br />"-weIghled
<br />I'IOIageTDS
<br />
<br />7i:J mg/L
<br />747 mg/L
<br />979 mg/L
<br />
<br />Below Hoover Dam
<br />Below Parker Dam
<br />At Imperial Dam
<br />
<br />To meet these criteria, about 2.2 to 2.$ million tons per
<br />year of salt will need to be removed 'ramithe river's waters
<br />by about 2010. The overall approach to! meeting the
<br />standards is to prevent salt from entering,and (nIxing with
<br />the river's flow. A numberofagricuttural,'j>olnt, anddiffuse
<br />sources of salinity have been Identified ~roughout the
<br />Basin. Those units which contain sou. that can be
<br />intercepted and prevented from enterin~ the river at least
<br />cost will be implemented to control the)iver's salinity.
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<br />Colorado River Basin Sallnltyi~troI
<br />FOIUm and Colorado River B""", Salinity
<br />Control Advlaory Council '
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<br />The Forum IS composed of water respurce and water
<br />quality representatives from each of the~seven Colorado
<br />River Basin States, appointed by his resPective governor.
<br />The Advisory Council members are also ~lnted by the
<br />governors and seNe similar but different functions.
<br />As a result of Public Law 92-5CXI, the1Forum was
<br />established to develop water quality staJ;ldardS. Section.
<br />303 of the Clean Water Act of 1m reqUires that these
<br />water quality standards be reviewed fron1 time to time,!;lvt
<br />at Iea.st once every three years. ..
<br />The seven-state Forum with the aid ofim internal Wor1o;
<br />Group prepares a review of the water qUality'standardS,
<br />including numeric criteria and the plan ~ Implementation
<br />previously developed by the Forum. Th.1981.review
<br />includes the modifications or revisions tp the plan. of
<br />implementation that have become neces$ary as a result of
<br />changed conditions and the availabHity Of.better
<br />information.
<br />The Advisory Council receives r8JX>~ from
<br />Reclamation on salinity control actlvitleC and_ makes
<br />recommendations to the Secretaries of ipe 09partinents
<br />of the Interior and Agriculture and to the-Admlnistrator of
<br />the EPA on all matters relating to the eff(cient and timely
<br />planning and executlon of salinity contr91 measures and
<br />procedures specified in Publlc Law 93-320, Title II.
<br />The Forum's Work Group is the technical or
<br />enginee~ng arm of the Forum. The Work Group consists
<br />of at least one representative from each ,of the Basin
<br />States, who mayor may not be a mem~ of the Forum.
<br />The basic function is 10 provide technlCfI review and
<br />analysis for the Forum, the policy-makirtg grOup. The
<br />Wot1c; Group also serves the Advisory COuncil in the
<br />capacity of a technical review and study team.
<br />
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<br />In June 1974, Congress enacted the Colorado River
<br />Basin Sallntiy Control Act, Public Law 93-320, which
<br />directed the Secretary of ttie Interior to expedite the
<br />completion of plannlng:reports on 12 salinity control units
<br />and to proceed with constructjOfl of the Paradox Valley,
<br />Grand Valley, Crystal Geyser, and Las Vegas Wash Units.
<br />
<br />Interagency Approach
<br />
<br />An Issue as all-emcompasslng as salinity control
<br />touches many perspectives. Various governmental entitles
<br />have diverse capabilitIes that can be marshaled to most
<br />effectively implement control measures. In addition, public
<br />participation plays a key role in salinity control.
<br />At the state level, all seven Colorado River Basin States
<br />have joined efforts to adopt standards and to implement a
<br />plan to .meet those stand.~rds, while water supplies
<br />contln!J8 to be developed., TQ accompliSh needed.
<br />coordination, the ,Governors Of. eacfi plthe Basin stateS
<br />. . apPointed representatives to the Forum,(Colorado River
<br />Basin Salinity COntrol Forum)" and the Council (Colorado
<br />River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council), groups
<br />which Coordinate State aptions and advise the Federal
<br />Government of the. sta~ views 00' issues a:ffecting_ wa!er "
<br />quality standards and ways to maet those standards.
<br />These groupS were established following enactment of
<br />PubUc'LawS 92-500 and 93-320: respectively:
<br />At the Federal- level, salinity control requires
<br />COOrdination efforts -at the Department of the Interior, ,
<br />Including FWS (Fish 'and Wildlife Service), USGS (U.S.
<br />Geological SUlvey), BLM '(Bu'reau of Land Management),
<br />and, USBR (Bureau of Reclamation); the EPA
<br />(Environmental Protection Agency); and the Department
<br />of Agriculture, including Sa? (Soli Conservation Service),
<br />ASC$ (Agricultural stabilization and Conservation
<br />
<br />The plan otimplementation, as set forth-in each of the
<br />'197!$, 1976, and 1981 Forum reports includes the Federal
<br />salinity control units discussed in another section of this
<br />document. Italso includes effluent limitations for industrial
<br />point source discharges with theobjectlveof no salt retum
<br />wherever practicable. In 1977, the Forum adopted the
<br />"Policy for Implementation of Colorado River Salinity
<br />Standards Through the NPDES (National Pollution
<br />Discharge Elimination System) .permit Program.M This
<br />pOlicy was adopted by all of the Basin States and provides
<br />detailed. guidance in the application of sarinity standards
<br />developed purSuant to sect.ion,303/;)fthe Clean Water Act
<br />and-tI:\rough the NPQESpermitting.8uthoiityin the'
<br />regulation of municipal and Industrial point source
<br />discharges., .. " . - "
<br />In September 1980, the Forum adopted a "Policyforthe
<br />Use of Brackish,arid/or Saline Waters.for Industrial
<br />PUtpoSe$M where ifis environmentally sound and
<br />economiCally feasible and where its use would not
<br />significantly incr6ase Consumptive use of-Colorado River
<br />systerri water. Further, thEi use_of brackish waters for .
<br />Industria.l purposes Is an llddltional measure in reducing
<br />salt <;:bntributions to the riVer system. ,
<br />Mr. Jack A Barnett serves as the Executive Director "of
<br />the ~orum. He provides a foCal point of contact for the
<br />For\J'm in dealing with salinity problems of Interstate
<br />significance. Mr. Barnett's address is 106 W. 5OO-South,
<br />Suite 101; Bountiful, Utah 64010.
<br />
<br />FOIUm Members
<br />
<br />Artzooa
<br />Dr, Ronald Miller, Chief, Bureau of Water Quality Control
<br />Weslely E. Steiner, Director, Department of Water
<br />Resources
<br />Stewart Udall, Attorney_ at Law
<br />
<br />Service, ARS (Agricultural Research Se~ce), CSR~
<br />(COopellltJve State Research Selvlce), and,ES (E'JrtenSlon
<br />service). The capabllitie$ of the Federal ~cles"are
<br />coordinated through an I~gency Sallplty Control
<br />Committee to improve management of in1gated .
<br />agriculture through research and onfarm ,improvements
<br />and to implement selected structural and nonstructural
<br />control measures.
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<br />The Sta1e8
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<br />The Colorado River 8asin States support the salinity
<br />control program through water quality management
<br />plans, effluent discharge control, and edUcation In the
<br />control of salinity.
<br />The Basin States individually developeQ water ,quality
<br />management plans to.conform with the ~ulrern,e.nts of
<br />.sectfon 208 of.the.CIean Wa~r Act.:rh~ r9qui~ents
<br />include: public lnyolvemem, ,problem ~t
<br />.Identification o(best managemeht pra~l*. eStablish-
<br />ment of CO{1trol p_rograrm; a.oc1' designation' Of
<br />management agencies: . ' . .
<br />State programs"also include the CQntrril.of tota'!'
<br />diSsolVed solids frO.m_ point dischar~ ~ugh the
<br />,NPDES pennit program.l=ish hatcheries, lqmberproducts
<br />mills, sewage ~reatment plants, 809 powetpjant wastes are
<br />some of the muni9fpal and industrial efflileht so4~
<br />und6r control.'Re~ Qftreated wasteNaterls,eni::Quiagea
<br />as a ~neral principle," . .
<br />Edu.cation and public Involvement are.emphaslzed, The
<br />basinwide nature Of salinity requires an_awaren~ of
<br />salinity-sources, impacts, and altemat!ve'methods of
<br />control. The Basin S~ cqntinue to WOJk With '
<br />cOncerned agencies to increase publlc urlderstar)djng of
<br />salinity and to coordinate this effort through the Forum.
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<br />Walter G. Pettit., Chief; Technical Services DMsion, State
<br />Water Resources Control Board
<br />Myron B, Holburt, Chief Engineer, Colorado River Board
<br />of California
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<br />D. Monte Pascoe, Executive Director, Department of
<br />Natural Resources
<br />Dr. Robert A. Amott, Asst. Di~or, Department oftiealth
<br />David Robbln~, Atto~ at Law
<br />
<br />Nevada , ' "
<br />Duane R._ SudW8eks,' Qirector~ Colorado River
<br />Commission.of -Nevada._' .. ' . '
<br />L~s H. D9d9lon, Admlnlst.rator, Div, _of Ehvironmental
<br />, .Protection ,..
<br />Roland D. Westergan;:l, DirectOr. Department of'
<br />COnServation and Natural Resources .
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<br />New Mexico
<br />Stephen E. "Reyno"IQs, ~State Engineer
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<br />Utah
<br />Calvin SUdweek$,' Director; Bureau of Water Pollution
<br />COntrol. , '. "
<br />Daniel F. Lawrence, Director, Dlv!s1ono1WaterResources
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<br />Wyomlng ,
<br />William L. Garland, Administrator, Department of
<br />. Environmental Quality
<br />George Christopulos, State Engineer
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