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<br />quality as measured by salinity. <br /> <br />w <br />w <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />The final point of the four concerns the report's fail- <br /> <br />ure to layout all of the options for controlling salinity in a <br /> <br />form which would allow a fruitful comparative analysis. Present- <br /> <br />ing the various Bureau of Reclamation, Soil Conservation Service, <br /> <br />and other projects and programs in a common format would facilitate <br /> <br />comparisons. Instead the report discourages the kind of analysis <br /> <br />which makes it difficult to identify a set of economically sound <br /> <br />and environmentally effective options. In particular, it is <br /> <br />impossible to relate projects and programs which concentrate on <br /> <br />controlling the largest man-made source ofsalt--irrigated agri- <br /> <br />culture--with other alternatives. This is a significant defect <br /> <br /> <br />in the report given the fact that.a number of recent reports on <br /> <br />agricultural options present results which suggest that they are <br />by far the most cost-effective.il <br /> <br />One Observation on Future possibilities <br /> <br />One other comment on the report relates to future salinity <br /> <br />control programs. Listed among various options i? weather modifi- <br /> <br />cation: Suggesting weather modification as a means of dealing with <br /> <br />a water resource or water quality problem is often the last gasp <br /> <br />of a dying program. In a way it's an admission of the state of <br /> <br />desperation faced by a program doomed to fail. Given the forecasts <br /> <br />if See Big Sandy River Colorado River Basin Salinity Control <br />Study, prepared by U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Soil Conservation <br />Service, Casper, Wyoming, U.S.D.A. Report (Nov. 1980); and Draft <br />Supplement to the Colorado River Water Quality Improvement Program <br />Final Environmental Statement for Lower Gunnison Basin Unit, <br />Montrose and Delta CountIeS, Colorado and Uintah Basin Unit, <br />Duchesne, Wasatch and uintah Counties, U~ah, prepared by U.S. Dept. <br />of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service (May 1981). <br /> <br />25 <br /> <br />1~ <br />