Colorado river dispute

The Colorado River dispute is a long-running dispute between the United States and Mexico.

Background

In 1884 the International Boundary and Water Commission was founded between Mexico and the United States as an entity to, among other things, oversee the flow of water from the United States to Mexico.^[1] The IBaWC negotiated the 1944 United States-Mexico Treaty for Utilization of Water of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande allotted to Mexico a guaranteed annual quantity of water from these sources.^[2] However the treaty did not provide for the level of quality which became a problem with rapid development in the southern United States in the late 1950s. The United States began diverting significant amounts of water from the Colorado River for the new developed areas. Mexico protested and entered into negotiations with the United States. In 1974 an international agreement resulted in interpreting the 1944 treaty as guaranteeing Mexico the same quality of water as that being used in the United States.

Acts Passed to Preserve the River

• The 1974 Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act was passed to deal with salinity and water quality.
• The 1973 Endangered Species Act was passed to protect endangered fish.
• The 1992 Grand Canyon Protection Act was passed to recognise the recreational value of the Colorado River to Grand Canyon National Park.^[3]

California water agencies agreement 2002

In 2002, the water agencies of Southern California agreed to move millions of gallons from the river, which was originally used desert farmer and divert it towards the fast-growing urban San Diego.^[4]

Plans to end the river dispute 2003

In 2003 four Southern California water agencies that have failed to reach a key Colorado River water-sharing pact were studying a proposal, from Government Aides including Gray Davis that addressed the deals main stumbling blocks. Davis proposed that the state Department of Water Resources would explore a billion-dollar plan to shrink the size of the sea and restore it to health., and if the plan is feasible, farm runoff that would otherwise have flown into the sea could be desalinated and sent to San Diego County. He also proposed that farmers would pay a $1 surcharge for every acre-foot (about 325,000 gallons) of Colorado River water they use over the next 35 years. Urban users, who use less river water, would pay a $3 fee per acre-foot ($2.50/megalitre). The millions generated would cover the cost of new wetland habitats as well as air quality and Salton Sea mitigation associated with the water transfer to San Diego.^[5]

References

1. ^ International Boundary and Water Commission. "History of the International Boundary and Water Commission". U.S. Department of State. http://www.ibwc.state.gov/About_Us/history.html. Retrieved 27 October 2009. 
2. ^ "Colorado River Water Dispute (COLORADO Case)" american.edu Link Accessed 28/04/08
3. ^ "Sharing Colorado River Water: History, Public Policy and the Colorado River Compact" ag.arizona.edu August 1997 Link accessed 28/04/08
4. ^ "California water deal key step to resolve Colorado River dispute" citizenreviewonline.org 16 October 2002 Link accessed 28/04/08
5. ^ "Davis offers plan to end Colorado River dispute" bnet.com 11 July 2003 Link accessed 28/04/08