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<br />o <br />t..) <br />w <br />~ <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />c <br /> <br />CHAPTER I II <br /> <br />NEED FOR ACTION <br /> <br />Meeker Dome Salt Loading <br /> <br />As explained in Chapter I, saline water seeping from Meeker Dome <br />was apparently related to abandoned oil wells drilled in the early <br />1900's. Before the Meeker Well was plugged in 1968, it was flowing at a <br />rate of 3 cubic feet per second (cfs) and, with a salinity concentration <br />of 19,200 mg/L, its water was increasing the salinity of the Colorado <br />River by about 57,000 tons annually. Measurable flow at the Meeker Well <br />was stopped when the well was plugged. In 1969, however, two of the <br />three abandoned Kritsas Wells on the northern side of the dome began <br />flowing saline water and were subsequently plugged. By 1970, saline <br />seepage was reported on the south side of the dome. During the 4-year <br />period (1968 to 1972) following the initial plugging of the Meeker Well, <br />salt loading from the dome averaged about 18,000 tons annually. Data <br />indicated that the seepage would continue and could possibly return to <br />the preplugging level. <br /> <br />6 <br />