Natural salt Pollution control In the southwest

摘要

The Rio Grande, Pecos, Colorado, Brazos, Red, Canadian, and Arkansas rivers and their tributaries supply municipal, industrial, agricultural, and environmental water needs in the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Salinity is a governing constraint to water resources development and management in this region of increasing demands on limited water resources. Natural salt contamination drastically limits the use of large quantities of water in major river/reservoir systems. The primary sources of salt loads in the rivers are geologic formations underlying portions of their upper watersheds. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), state water agencies, river authorities, water districts, cities, and their consultants have conducted extensive natural salt pollution control studies dating back to the 1950s and continuing today. Many projects have been proposed, and some have been implemented. The US Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted extensive water quality sampling programs in support of the salinity control efforts. Various university researchers, including the author, have also contributed to ongoing investigations. The purpose of this article is to highlight the natural salt pollution situation and review the status of efforts for dealing with the salinity.