Letter to the editor: If the water level in the Searle River Delta continues to drop, the rising sea level will make the water s
altier and less suitable for drinking. Currently, 40 percent of the water from upstream tributaries is diverted to neighboring areas. To keep the delta's water level from dropping any further, we should end all current diversions from the upstream tributaries. Neighboring water utilities are likely to see higher costs and diminished water supplies, but these costs are necessary to preserve the delta. Which of the following would, if true, indicate a serious potential weakness of the suggested plan of action?
A. Desalination equipment would allow water from the delta to be used for drinking even it if became saltier.
B. Water level is only one factor that affects salinity in the delta.
C. The upstream tributaries' water levels are controlled by systems of dams and reservoirs.
D. Neighboring areas have grown in population since the water was first diverted from upstream tributaries.
E. Much of the recent drop in the delta's water level can be attributed to a prolonged drought that has recently ended.
