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politicians who are going to be popular because they are talking about 

 reducing the local tax rate. These same officials will ask for more 

 Federal funds to solve all of their air and water pollution problems. 



Senator Hollings. Mr. Secretary, we know it is past the hour, and 

 you are extremely busy. We appreciate very much your appearance. 



We have a list of questions from some of the members, and if you do 

 not mind we will submit those and the Department can submit their 

 answers in writing. 



Is there anything further you or your staff wish to add ? 



Secretary Hickel. Dr. Pecora. 



Dr. Pecora. Mr. Chairman, the Secretary's philosophy as expressed 

 before this comxmittee goes well beyond the effects upon estuarine 

 ecology caused by industry and construction. Basically it is a matter 

 of water balance. Fresh water is being brought into the estuaries from 

 drainage basins generally draining many States, and it creates a prob- 

 lem because of seasonal variations and the use of water upstream. 



There are problems coming up in other estuaries where this study 

 of water balance is a very important part of the entire coastal zone 

 study and review control. For example, there will be coming before us 

 the effect of withdrawal of water upstream from San Francisco Bay, 

 where the San Joaquin and Sacramento River drain into the Bay. If 

 the water is withdrawn, the balance in San Francisco Bay, both in 

 salinity, silica contents, oxygen utilization by plants, will vary with 

 time. 



So that broad studies need to be made by the Department with the 

 expertise it has on general water balance for headstream areas of all 

 of these estuaries. 



Senator Baker. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question in that con- 

 nection. I think that gets to the heart of this business of ecological 

 balance. I ask a question at this point that is not relevant to the testi- 

 mony of the Secretary. Is there some examination in your Depart- 

 ment, some research by your staff or others, on the possibility of the 

 utilization of fresh water sources or manufactured water sources, such 

 as by distillation, to reduce the salinity content of inland streams that 

 have been encroached on by sea water ? 



I am thinking specifically of the Colorado River and the situation 

 in Southern California. This is a situation that will ultimately result 

 in most coastal areas of the United States. 



Dr. Pecora. Studies by the Geological Survey are involved with this 

 shifting threshold of salt water encroachment and fresh water ad- 

 vance. 



Senator Baker. Has there been any examination of the rein- 

 jection of fresh water into the substrata to reduce the salinity con- 

 tent? 



Dr. Pecora. Yes, sir. In Long Island one experiment is in proc- 

 ess: another one had been going on in California, where treated 

 water is pumped underground for two purposes: One, to get rid 

 of treated water and to form a barrier for salt water encroachment 

 coming from the shore area into the coastal zone area. 



This is a very important experiment tliat is going on and it has 

 been under observation by a number of people. It is this kind of 

 water balance study whicli I tliink is the key to tlie entire problem 

 in the Secretary's philosophy. 



