Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
The Colorado River and its tributaries provide municipal and industrial water to about 27 million people and irrigation water to nearly four million acres of land in the United States. The river also serves about 2.3 million people and 500,000 acres in Mexico. The threat of salinity is a major concern in both the United States and Mexico. Salinity affects agricultural, municipal, and industrial water users.
In June 1974, Congress enacted the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act, Public Law 93-320, which directed the Secretary of the Interior to proceed with a program to enhance and protect the quality of water available in the Colorado River for use in the United States and Republic of Mexico. In October 1984, Congress amended the original act by passing Public Law 98-569.
Public Law 104-20 of July 28, 1995, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation, to implement a basinwide salinity control program. The Secretary may carry out the purposes of this legislation directly, or make grants, enter into contracts, memoranda of agreement, commitments for grants, cooperative agreements, or advances of funds to non-federal entities under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may require.
Significant salinity control results from the implementation of measures on private agricultural lands.Reclamation's Basin States Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Environmental Quality Incentives Program provide cost share assistance to landowners who install salinity control measures. See chapter 1 and chapter 5 of the Quality of Water Report below.
Basinwide Salinity Control Program Funding Opportunity Announcements
2017
- Funding Opportunity Announcement No. BOR-UC-17-F003 (2017) | PDF
- Example of 2017 FOA Project Application - August 22-24, 2017
COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL ADVISORY COUNCIL
Title II of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act (Act) (Public Law 93-320) created the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (Program), and Section 204 of the Act created the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council (Council). The Council consists of up to three members from each of the seven Colorado River Basin States. Governors of their respective states appoint the Council members. The Council:
- Acts as liaison between both the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the States in accomplishing the purposes of the Act;
- receives reports from the Secretary on the progress of the salinity control program and review and comment on said reports;
- recommends to both the Secretary and the Administrator of the EPA appropriate studies of further projects, techniques, or methods for accomplishing the purposes of the Act; and
- provides to the Secretary of the Interior advice and consultation regarding implementation of the Basin States Program to carry out salinity control activities.
This is accomplished by the Council meeting with the Federal agencies two times a year and providing an Annual Report to the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture and the Administrator of the EPA.
Council Meeting Minutes- 2018 Spring Meeting Minutes
- 2017 Fall Meeting Mintues
- 2016 Fall Meeting Minutes
- 2016 Spring Meeting Minutes
- 2015 Fall Meeting Minutes
- 2015 Spring Meeting Minutes
National Environmental Policy Act & Habitat Replacement
Related Information
Resources
- Paradox Valley Unit Environmental Impact Statement
- Colorado River Basin Annual Flow / Salinity Data: [PDF] [Excel]
- Natural Flow and Salt Computation Methods [ Final ] 1971 - 1995 [PDF] - 4 MB
- Statistical Nonparametric Model For Natural Salt Estimation [PDF] - 134 KB
- Quality of Water - Colorado River Basin Progress Report 25 (2017)
- Quality of Water - Colorado River Basin Progress Report 24 (2013)
- Quality of Water - Colorado River Basin Progress Report 23 (2011)
- Quality of Water - Colorado River Basin Progress Report 22 (2005)
- Quality of Water - Colorado River Basin Progress Report 21 (January 2003)
- Water Quality Standards For Salinity - Colorado River System (Triennial Reports)
Links
USDA Monitoring & Evaluation Reports for Salinity Projects
- 2017 M & E Progress Update Report, Big Sandy Salinity Control Area [PDF] - 3,079 KB
- Colorado River Salinity Control Program, State of Colorado Salinity Control Unit Summary, FY 2017 [PDF] - 1,279 KB
- Henry’s Fork Salinity Control Area Monitoring & Evaluation Report 2018 [PDF] - 3,324 KB
- Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program: Utah Units Monitoring and Evaluation Report, FY 2017 [PDF] - 1,939 KB
- Dissolved-Solids Sources and Transport in the Virgin River Basin in UT, AZ, and NV w/Emphasis on Dissolved Solids Discharged from Pah Tempe Springs [PDF] - 604 KB
- Results of Water Quality Monitoring during May 2007-May 2008 in Selected Sub-basins near Manila, UT to Evaluate the Effect of Irrigation Improvements on Dissolved Solids Loads Discharged to Flaming Gorge Reservoir [PDF] - 293 KB
Monthly Salinity Data at 20 Key Stations in Colorado River Basin
- Colorado River at Imperial Dam, AZ-CA
- Colorado River at Lees Ferry, AZ
- Colorado River below Hoover Dam, AZ-NV
- Colorado River Below Parker Dam, AZ-CA
- Colorado River near Cameo, CO
- Colorado River near Cisco, UT
- Colorado River near Glenwood Springs, CO
- Colorado River near Grand Canyon, AZ
- Dolores River near Cisco, UT
- Duchesne River near Randlett, UT
- Station Key
- Green River near Green River, UT
- Green River near Green River, WY
- Green River near Greendale, UT
- Gunnison River near Grand Junction, CO
- San Juan River near Archuleta, NM
- San Juan River near Bluff, UT
- San Rafael River near Green River, UT
- Virgin River at Littlefield, AZ
- White River near Watson, UT
- Yampa River near Maybell, CO