WSP08301

• File Number: 8273.100.50
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agency Reports - BOR
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 2/1/1988
• Title: Estimating Economic Impacts of Salinity of the Colorado River - Final Report - February 1988
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

CONTENTS

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PREF ACE......................................................................................................................._..................

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................ix

ABBR EVlA TIONS AND DEFINITIONS.................................................................................... xi

SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS........................................................................................... 1

Salinity damage levels ......,..................................................................................................... 2
Salinity effects vs. salinity damages...................................................................................... 2
Damages to agriculture ......................................................................................................... 3
Damages to households......................................................................................................... 3
Damages to water/wastewater utilities ................................................................................ 4
Damages to utilities from policy/regulation ....................................................................... 4
Damages to industry .............................................................................................................. 5
Summary of salinity damages................................................................................................ 5
Other issues. .... ......................... ...... ...... ......... ...................... ....,.... ............................ .............. 7
The computer program ......................................................................................................... 7
Strengths, weaknesses, recommendations.............................. ".".., ....... .... ... ..................... .... 7

Chapter 1. - INTRODUCfION.................................................................................................... 9

Rcscarch objectives............... ............ ...................... ...... ................ .......... ....... ............... ......... 9
Limitations to the study ......................................................................................................... 9
Background of the study ....................................................................................................... 10
The rationale for defining salinity damages ....................................................................... 11
Salinity effects vs. salinity damages...................................................................................... 11

Selection of a baseline ........................................................................................................... 12
Other possible basclines ................... ............... .............. ......... ............................................... 12
Selection of current values for TDS .................................................................................... 14

Chapter 2. - SALINITY IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN .......................................... 17

The Colorado River Basin .................................................................................................... 17
Colorado River salinity and its causes ................................................................................ 17
Salinity control programs and legislation............................................................................ 18
Past and anticipated future salinity levels of the Colorado River, 1973-2010 .............. 18
Salinity of metropolitan water supplies in the Lower Basin ............................................ 20

Chapter 3. - ECONOMIC DAMAGES TO IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE ..................., 23

Salinity damage threshold of crops...................................................................................... 23
Salinity effects on crop yields ............................................................................................... 24
Other factors affecting crop yields ...................................................................................... 24
Estimating current and future (1987-2010) salinity damages to agriculture.................. 24
Regressions on yield of agricultural crops. ....................................................................... 25
Computer model calculations of agricultural damages .................................................... 27
Other agricultural costs related to saline irrigation water ............................................... 27

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