STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD

RESOLUTION NO. 97-031

APPROVAL OF THE FINAL REPORT TITLED

"1996 REVIEW--WATER QUALITY STANDARDS FORSALINITY--COLORADO RIVER SYSTEM"

AS FULFILLMENT OF THE 1996 TRIENNIAL REVIEW

WHEREAS:

1. In 1975, the seven Colorado River Basin States, including California, established water quality standards (objectives) for salinity for the Colorado River.

2. Section 303 of the Federal Clean Water Act mandates that water quality standards be reviewed at least once every three years and revised as necessary (Triennial Review).

3. The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (Forum) reviewed the 1975 State-adopted and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)-approved standards in 1978, 1981, 1984, 1987, 1990, and 1993. No changes were recommended to the standards, but revisions were made in the plan of implementation.

4. The Forum conducted another Triennial Review in 1996 and adopted reports which update the plan of implementation and reaffirm the appropriateness of existing numeric objectives. The reports are titled: (1) Report on the 1996 Review--Water Quality Standards for Salinity--Colorado River System, June 1996; and (2) Supplemental Report on the 1996 Review, October 1996 (Forum Reports).

5. The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) appropriately noticed and held a public hearing on April 2, 1997 concerning the Triennial Review and proposed adoption of the review reports.

6. At the April 2, 1997 public hearing, the SWRCB did not receive comments regarding the Colorado River salinity objectives.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The SWRCB:

1. Approves the Triennial Review of the Colorado River Salinity Objectives and Implementation Plan as presented in the Forum Reports.

2. Directs the Executive Director to forward the documents and this Resolution to the U.S. EPA, Region 9 as approval of the 1996 Triennial Review.

CERTIFICATION

The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the Board, does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on April 17, 1997.

/s/

Maureen Marché

Administrative Assistant to the Board