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<br />C? <br />(.~ <br /> <br />~ <br />co <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />Also, it appears that the mining operation would intercept and control saline <br /> <br />groundwaters that are now rising into the streams. Thus, the development of an <br /> <br />oil shale industry would undoubtedly lead to red9ctions in the dissolved salt load <br /> <br />of the Colorado River, even though salinity would rise due to the consumptive use <br /> <br />of water in the industry. <br /> <br />In the Lower Colorado River Basin, the San Diego Gas and Electric Company has <br /> <br />been working on plans to construct a large nuclear power plant in the Colorado <br /> <br />desert near Blythe, California, using the saline Palo Verde Irrigation District <br /> <br />drain water for cooling tower makeup water and not returning the cooling tower <br /> <br />blowdown water to the Colorado River. The consumed drain water would be re- <br /> <br />placed by an equivalent quantity of Colorado River water; thus, by consumptively <br /> <br />using a saline inflow ~o the river, this operation Irill reduce both the total salt <br /> <br />load in the Colorado River do>mstream from the Palo Verde Irrigation District drain <br /> <br />and downstream salinity. The reductions will be getermined by the difference <br /> <br />in salinity between the drain water, averaging about 1800-1900 ppm, and the <br /> <br />salinity of the river water, averaging about 750 ppm. It is estimated that up to <br /> <br />60,000 acre-feet a year would be used in this operation. <br /> <br />Reappraisal of Authorized Water Development Projects <br /> <br />The Federal Office of Management and Budget has directed that a reappraisal <br /> <br />be made by the Bureau of Reclamation of presently authorized but unconstructed <br /> <br />projects within the Upper Colorado River Basin to identify the salinity impact of <br /> <br />such projects. In making this appraisal, the Bureau of Reclamation will be <br /> <br />changing some features of the projects so that the salinity impacts of the projects <br /> <br />will be minimized. This may be accomplis~ed by careful analysis of lands to re- <br /> <br />ceive irrigation water to assure that lands overlying saline formations will be <br /> <br />excluded, planning on-farm facilities to reduce excess applications of water by <br /> <br />TRrmers, changes in use of the project water from irr.igation to municipDl and ; <br /> <br />15 <br />