WSP07975

• File Number: 8278.100
• Description: Title I - Yuma Desalting Plant
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 10/1/1987
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Yuma Desalting Plant Operations Study - Draft Special Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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save water for use within the Basin States. Its purpose is to
bypass and/or desalt Wellton-Mohawk drainage returns, when
required, to maintain the specified salinity levels on the
Colorado River and save water that would otherwise be wasted to
the Santa Clara Slough.

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Construction of the YDP was authorized by Public Law 93-320
signed June 24, 1974 (as amended by Public Law 96-336). The same
legislation required Federal replacement of the reject stream
from the YDP. Construction began in November 1975 and at this
time the last major construction contract is about half complete.

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Since the YDP's inception, conditions on the river have changed
considerably. During the past 5 years, high flows have improved
the quality of water arriving at Imperial Dam, and then delivered
to Mexico. This condition could continue for the next several
years because similar improvement in salinity levels has occurred
throughout the entire reservoir system on the river. During
years of surplus flows, these flows can be used to meet delivery
requirements to Mexico and the Wellton-Mohawk returns bypassed,
eliminating the need for YDP operation.

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Annual operation, m.~intenance, and replacement (OM&R) costa
during years of full production, inclUding energy for the plant,
ha~e doubled since the YDP was authorized, and are projected to
be in excess of $25 million. Operation costs are about $5
million during years when production is not required.

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The Yuma Projects Office had begun analyzing modification to the
YDP to reduce O&M costs. This effort was expanded and a planning
team was charged with reevaluating YDP operations and identifying
any structural or non-structural plan with the potential of
reducing the annual operating costs for the plant.

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COMPOSITION O~ TEAM

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Team members represented various divisions within the Lower
Colorado Regional Office (LC), the Yuma Projects Office (YPO),
and the Engineering and Research Center (E&RC) in Denver. The
following is a list of the team members, their specialty, and
their organizational code:

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Michael Stuver, Team Leader, LC-?27
Jeffrey Addiego, River Hydrology, LC-432
Mark Bird, Public Involvement Coordinator, LC-742
Lorraine Buck, Technical Publication~ Writer, LC-739
Mike Delamore, Environmental Specialist, LC-730A
Kurt Frank, Chief Desalting Division, YPO
Jerry Gentry, YDP Operations, 330-190 (replacing Kurt Frank)

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