‘Saline water—A valuable resource’ was the unusual concept that became the subject of a symposium presented on April 24, 1969, during the Fiftieth Annual Meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington, D.C. The symposium was sponsored by the Groundwater Committee, Section of Hydrology, American Geophysical Union. The objective of this symposium was to provide a new perspective on the value of saline ground water and saline aquifers, based on the most recent industrial and technological developments. The rapid development of desalination technology has brought with it the recognition of a new intrinsic worth for saline water, especially saline ground water. In addition, increased awareness in surface pollution and the need for protection of man's environment has greatly intensified the interest in use of saline aquifers for disposal, or storage, of toxic industrial wastes and other fluids. With these trends in mind, the Groundwater Committee believed that a symposium on this subject was timely in developing among hydrologists and water resource managers the recognition that saline ground water and saline aquifers actually could be a valuable resource.