WSP08256

• File Number: 8272.100.60
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 10/1/2002
• Author: CRBSCF
• Title: 2002 Review - Water Quality Standards for Salinity - Colorado River System
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

CHAPTER 4 - PLAN OF IMPLEMENTATION

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Overview

The purpose of the Plan of Implementation is to offset the effects of water resource
development and human activities in the Colorado River Basin after 1972. The Plan of
Implementation is not intended to address the salinity of the River caused by human activity prior
to 1972, nor salinity caused by natural variations in river flows.

The Forum assesses whether the Plan of Implementation maintains salinity at or below the
numeric criteria at some interim point in time as the Basin states develop their compact apportioned
waters. Historically, the Forum designed the Plan of Implementation to maintain the numeric criteria
for a period of15-20 years (e.g., the 1990 Review contained a Plan of Implementation through the
year 201 0). For this Review, the Plan of Implementation has been designed to maintain the salinities
of the Colorado River at or below the numeric criteria below Hoover Dam through the year 2020.
The Hoover Dam station was chosen because this point requires the most salinity control to
accommodate the numeric criteria through this time period.

The Forum determined that 1.8 million tons of salt must be removed or prevented from
entering the system annually to maintain the numeric criteria through 2020. The Plan of
Implementation includes projects which remove the required salt tonnage. This will principally be
accomplished by reducing the salt contributions to the River from existing sources and minimizing
future increases in salt load caused by human activities.

The Plan of Implementation is composed of many actions contemplated by the federal
government and many of its agencies, and by each of the seven Basin states and many of their
agencies. For this Review, the Plan of Implementation can be briefly sununarized as follows:

1. Completion ofRecIamation, USDA, and BLM salinity control measures to the extent
that the measures remain viable and appropriately cost-effective.

2. Implementation of the following Forum recommended and adopted policies (text of
policies included in Appendix B of this Review).

"Policy for Implementation of Colorado River Salinity Standards Through the
NPDES Permit Program"

"Policy for Use of Brackish and/or Saline Waters for Industrial Purposes;"

"Policy for Implementation of the Colorado River Salinity Standards Through
the NPDES Permit Program for Intercepted Ground Water;" and

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