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