controlling salt in the colorado river kib jacobson colorado river basin salinity control program...
TRANSCRIPT
Controlling Salt
in the Colorado River
Kib JacobsonColorado River BasinSalinity Control Program Manager
The Colorado River Basin
246,000 square miles
Water for 35 million people
More than 4 million acresirrigated
The Problem
Historically, 9 million tons of salt
passed Lees Ferry every year
47% occurs naturally
53% is human-caused
9 million tons of salt would require
The Colorado River is 1,450 miles long
a train of hopper cars about 1,000 miles long
COLORADO RIVER BASIN – Yellow outline
Red: Upper Cretaceous salt –bearing formations
Federal lands – Lt. Green
Approx. 40% of Basin
Sources of Salinity
M&I4%
Reservoir12%
Irrigation37% Rangeland
BadlandsSpringsErosion
47%
Source Sectors
Grand Valley CO
Saline Springs and Groundwater Discharges
Natural Salt-Loading
Natural Salt-Loading
Evaporation, Transpiration,and Erosion
Price, UT
Natural Salt-Loading
La Verkin Springs
Human-Caused Salt-Loading
Irrigation Practices
Irrigation Sources
Human-Caused Salt-Loading
Reservoir Operations
Lake Powell
Crystal Geyser near Green River Utah
Human-Caused Salt-Loading
Damages Sectors
54%
27%
6%
3%4%
6%
2011 Quantified Economic Damages$290 Million/year
Agriculture - $157M
Households - $77M
Commercial - $17M
Utilities - $10M
Industrial - $12M
Other - $17M
Agricultural Damages
Increases water use and operating & maintenance
costs
Lower yields and limits type of crop
Crop Production
Municipal Damages
Additional treatment required
and reuse capability reduced
Accelerates appliance andpipe deterioration
Industrial Damages
Additional treatment required
for high tech applications
Accelerates pipe andmachinery deterioration
Colorado River Basin States
In cooperation with Reclamation
• Clean Water Act of 1972
• Plan of Implementation
• Numeric Criteria
• Water quality standards that include:
The Numeric Criteria
• Based on 1972 salinity data
• Calculated as a Flow-weighted Average Annual Value
• Measured at three locations in the Lower Basin
Numeric Criteria
Hoover - 723 mg/L
Parker - 747 mg/L
Imperial - 879 mg/L