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<br />. <br />.' <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Evan D. Dild'ine, P.E., Technical Secretary <br />Water Quality Control Commission <br />May 22, 1979 <br /> <br />w <br />..... <br />...J <br />CO <br /> <br />SAl.lNITY IN COLORADO l~ATERS <br />-------------.----.- <br /> <br />The increased concentrations of total dissolved solids or sal'inity <br /> <br />in Colorado surface waters come from two primary sources. Whi le there <br /> <br />are other contributing sources the two largest contributions are from <br /> <br />natural percolation and run-off and irrigated agriculture. The natural <br /> <br /> <br />contribution is by far the largest and comes from natural springs or <br /> <br /> <br />from precipitation and percolation through the soil mantle flowing <br /> <br />laterally to surface water in streams or lakes. <br /> <br />It should be noted that Colorado is almost completely a water con- <br /> <br /> <br />tributing state. (See Figure 1) In other words, the rivers in Colorado <br /> <br />have their origin in the mountains and flow out\,ard into other states. <br /> <br />The west slope streams or those west of the Continental Divide are mostly <br /> <br />fed by snow melt from winter storms. The west slope system flol'/s through <br /> <br />an arid desert region and is primarily a losing stream both naturally and <br /> <br />because of man's consumptive uses of the waters, The east slope streams <br /> <br />are gaining because of the increased precipitation which occurs easH/ard <br /> <br />and because the different hydrological cycle reduces the need .for irriga- <br /> <br />tion of agricultural crops in those states located east of Colorado <br /> <br />The increases 'in salinity in the Colorado River system are not as <br /> <br />great as the 'increases in salinity in the east slope streams, however, <br /> <br />the demand from lower basin states and ~12xico for reduction of the <br />