Opinion ID: 393673
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the colorado river salinity problem

Text: 12 The Colorado River flows over 1,400 miles from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California, draining a basin of 244,000 square miles in the United States and an additional 2,000 square miles in Mexico. Portions of seven states lie within the River basin: Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming (chiefly comprising the upper basin), and Arizona, California, and Nevada (comprising the lower basin or the lower main stem). The basin itself has an estimated population of 2,250,000 in the United States portion and an additional 500,000 in Mexico. With the aid of trans-basin diversions, the Colorado provides full or supplemental water for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses for an additional 12,000,000 residents of non-basin population centers such as Denver, Salt Lake City, Cheyenne, Albuquerque, and Southern California. 13 From a basinwide perspective, salinity is the most significant pollutant in the River. 16 The record indicates that damages to the River and its populace from salinity in the United States portion of the Colorado River system are approximately $53 million annually. By the year 2000, these damages are estimated to reach $124 million annually if control measures are not applied. 17 Disregarding flow variances from year to year, the record also indicates that salinity concentrations will increase progressively if adequate salinity control measures are not effected. These salinity increases will occur due to increased agricultural and industrial use, and trans-basin diversions. Estimates of the present value of salinity damage, through the year 2000, range from $1 billion to $1.5 billion. 18 14 It is obvious that salinity in the River is a very significant problem with not only serious impact in the basin, but also indirect consequences far outside the basin. It is deserving of the best efforts of all involved to reach a satisfactory solution.
15 Federal and state salinity control efforts for the Colorado date back twenty years. In an effort to address the salinity problem, the basin states joined with EPA and its predecessor agencies, in enforcement conferences. Studies of the nature of the salinity problem as well as methods to alleviate its significant impact were undertaken. With the passage of the Water Quality Act of 1965, which mandated the states to adopt general water quality standards, the states and federal government began working together to evaluate the feasibility of and need for the development of water quality standards for salinity. 19 The record indicates that in 1971 EPA published a report which recommended that salinity criteria be established at several key locations throughout the River basin. In April 1972, EPA and representatives of the seven basin states unanimously recommended, inter alia, that: (1) a salinity policy be adopted for the River system having as its objective the maintenance of salinity levels at or below concentrations found in 1972 in the River's lower main stem; (2) treatment of salinity be viewed as a basinwide problem; and (3) a high priority be assigned to certain water quality projects with the objective of achieving stabilization of salinity levels in the lower basin at the earliest possible date. 20 16 After passage of the FWPCA Amendments in 1972, EPA, pursuant to Section 303(a) (1), began to review all current state water quality standards. As part of this review, EPA, in January 1973, notified six of the basin states that establishment of complying water quality standards for salinity would be required. 21 In June 1974, EPA proposed regulations establishing its Salinity Control Policy Standards and Procedures, 39 Fed.Reg. 20703-20704 (June 13, 1974), and after completion of the requisite notice, comment, and hearing procedures, the agency promulgated final salinity regulations in December 1974. 39 Fed.Reg. 43721-43723 (Dec. 18, 1974), 40 C.F.R. §§ 120 et seq. (1974). 22 The salinity regulations included three major elements: (1) maintenance of salinity levels in the lower main stem at or below the average level during 1972, 40 C.F.R. § 120.5(b) (1974); (2) adoption by the states of numeric criteria for appropriate points on the River system, 40 C.F.R. § 120.5(c)(1) (1974); and (3) development by the states of a plan to implement the standards, 40 C.F.R. § 120.5(c)(2) (1974). The regulation, in addition, required each basin state to establish specific numeric criteria by October 18, 1975. 40 C.F.R. § 120.5(c) (1974). 17 In June 1975, prior to the EPA deadline, the Forum issued the Proposed Water Quality Standards for Salinity Including Numeric Criteria and Plan of Implementation for Salinity Control. This report was modified in August 1975 and was subsequently adopted by each of the basin states as their water quality standards for salinity and related plans of implementation. After a public comment period, EPA, in November 1976, determined that the plans and water quality standards met the requirements of the Clean Water Act. Section 303(c) of the Act requires a review of these standards at least once every three years. 18
19 The states' water quality standards for salinity include both narrative and numeric criteria, a plan of implementation, and other factual information on salinity in the Colorado River. The numeric criteria were established at three key points on the lower main stem of the River employing the flow-weighted average annual salinity concentrations for the year 1972. 23 24 20 In addition, each basin state adopted a proposal for a water-quality monitoring and analysis program as an integral segment of the standards. The program's purpose is to provide information on a basinwide basis for plan evaluation. Seventeen points on the River were selected to aid in both the measurement of the effectiveness of salinity control projects and programs, and to serve as a continuous informational source of salinity levels throughout the entire basin. The monitoring points are not locations where numeric criteria are established, except at the three key points on the lower main stem. The majority of the points are, in fact, located in the upper-basin. The points are usually the lowest locations near statelines at which measurements are taken on the River's major tributaries. 21 The water quality standards also include narrative provisions which require salinity to be viewed as a basinwide problem. The provisions' purpose is to maintain salinity at or below 1972 levels found in the River's lowest reaches. Allowances are made, within the narrative provisions, for temporary increases above the 1972 levels, on the condition that control measures to offset such increases are included in the implementation plan. 22 The water quality standards for salinity also include a plan of implementation (hereinafter 1975 plan). The plan details various federal and nonfederal projects and programs for the control of salinity; reviews possible future salinity control efforts; provides for review and revision, as needed, of the water quality salinity standards; and estimates model projections of future flow levels, water uses, and salinity levels. 25 The primary goal of the plan is to reduce the salt load of the River. The principal components of the 1975 plan are as follows: 26 (1) prompt construction and operation of four initial salinity control units authorized by Section 202 of the CRBSCA, 43 U.S.C. § 1592 (1976 and Supp. III 1979); (2) future construction of the twelve other units listed in Section 203 of the CRBSCA, 43 U.S.C. § 1593 or their equivalents after receipt of favorable planning reports; (3) the placing of effluent limitations, principally under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), on industrial dischargers, Clean Water Act, Section 402; (4) the reformulation of previously authorized, but unconstructed, federal water projects to reduce the salt loading effect; (5) the use of saline water for industrial uses whenever practical; and (6) the institution of miscellaneous water user programs and the commencement of future possible salinity control programs. The 1975 plan is categorized into four separate components: (1) control of existing point sources; (2) diffuse source control; (3) irrigation source control; and (4) control of new point sources.