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CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS RELATING TO 1962-63 RELEASE OF COLORADO RIVER WATERS FOR RIVER REGULATION, AS AFFECTING MEXICALI VALLEY April 26, 1962 - Meeting held at Department of State, with participants including Interior and Bureau of Reclamation officials, Commissioner Friedkin, United States Panel members, and Committee of 14. In discussing preliminary Panel recommendations and various remedial measures for the salinity problem, Commissioner Dominy annouced that the Bureau had accumulated 280,000 acre-feet of water which would be released during the coming winter for sluicing. During that time he said the waters delivered to Mexico would be usable (1600 ppm), and would thus enable us to "buy time" without resorting to acrash program. April 26, 1962 - Meeting at Department of State, with attendance including Deputy Under Secretary of State McGhee, Secretary of Interior, Senator Hayden, Commissioner Friedkin, United States Panel members. Following is excerpt from statement read by Senator Hayden: "As I have siad, I am most interested in some constructive approach to a solution. Commissioner Dominy tells me that by carefully controlling the water releases from Lake Mead to the bare requirements, he had accumulated about 280,000 acre-feet that he plans to use for river regulation this fall, particularly in the section between Imperial and Laguna Dams, and just downstream from Morelos Dam. These releases can best be made in the winter months, just as about 190,000 acre-feet were released for this same purpose in November and December of 1960, and in January and February of 1961. This would be of special value to Mexico, as it would reduce the salinity of the return flows below Imperial Dam, and would assure good quality water at least until the fall of 1963. By that time the Reclamation Bureau will have had time to look into the situation, and prepare a report that could then be evaluated." May 2, 1962 - Pursuant to Department's instructions of same date, Commissioner Friedkin sent letter to Mexican Commissioner as follows: "I have been authorized by the Department of State to inform you that the Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation has manged to accumulate in storage reservoirs some 280,000 acre feet of water which he is willing to sacrifice this winter for regulation of the Lower Colorado River. These waters will be released begining on or about October 1, 1962 at a rate of about 1,000 c.f.s. for five months, and in some cases there may be releases at higherEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 9,877,504 byte