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Show 28 UPDATING THE HOOVER DAM DOCUMENTS United States similar to that constructed by Mexico on its side of the border. All of these measures are in progress as a result of the enactment of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act, signed by the President on June 24, 1974, 88 Stat. 266. In addition, the Act made replacement of the reject stream from the desalting plant a national obligation (approximately 40,000 acre-feet per year) similar to the national obligation to satisfy the Mexican Treaty obligation in the Colorado River Basin Project Act. A key provision is the right of the United States to use water salvaged by the Coachella Canal lining during an interim period until California's water deliveries are reduced. This would compensate for the overdeliveries to Mexico caused by the bypass of drainage waters. Although the Administration had preferred a bill to deal only with the Mexican salinity problem, the Congress, at the urging of the Basin States, authorized salinity control programs upstream from Imperial Dam. These comprised the Paradox Valley Unit and the Grand Valley Unit, both in Colorado; the Crystal Geyser Unit in Utah; and the Las Vegas Wash Unit in Nevada. Planning reports were to be expedited for four irrigation source control units, three point source control units, and five diffuse source control units. A Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council was created by the Act which would receive, as would the President and Congress, the biennial reports from the Secretary on the progress of the salinity control program. The Council would review and comment thereon and make recommendations to the Secretary and the Environmental Protection Agency. P.I Operations Pursuant to Minute No. 242 During 1977 The IBWC report on operations under Minute No. 242 showed delivery to Mexico of 1,478,823 acre-feet with an average salinity of 943 p/m for 1977. During 1977 the average salinity differential between Morelos and Imperial Dam was 123 p/m, in accord with Minute No. 242. During 1977, 206,822 acre-feet of Wellton-Mohawk drainage water were discharged below Morelos Dam and other waters were substituted in making deliveries to Mexico. Also during 1977, 93,259 acre-feet of water were delivered across the land boundary at San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. This is less than 140,000 acre-feet delivered in prior years and referred to in Minute No. 242. Mexico pumped 129,636 acre-feet during 1977 from its well field within 5 miles of the International Boundary, a quantity less than the 160,000 acre-feet limit provided in Minute No. 242 The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act is elaborated on in Chapter XIV. |
