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6 MEXICAN WATER TREATY The assumptions of the Mexican negotiators.-Now for one of the Mexican negotiators, Ing. Adolfo Orive Alba, Chairman of the National Irrigation Commission, corresponding to our Commissioner of Reclamation (with the difference that our Commissioner Bashore testified that he was not consulted until after the treaty was signed). Ing. Orive Alba said, in a formal statement printed August 1, 1945: Now then, before negotiating the treaty a precise estimate was made of the net area in Mexican territory irrigable with water from the Colorado River under economically practicable conditions. Accordingly, this estimate found that there was an area of 200,000 net irrigable hectares (494,200 acres) equivalent to a gross area of 300,000 hectares. This gross area of 300,000 hectares (741,300 acres) is less than that estimated as irrigable by our engineers during the international conferences of 1929 to which we referred at the beginning of this report. The difference between these two estimates is that in the latter, great areas, considered in the estimate of 1929, are eliminated as being useless for agricultural operations due to the large amount of salts that the lands contain. For example, the basin of the Laguna Salada and the lands adjacent to the Gulf were eliminated. There were also eliminated some other areas of lands of poor quality where heavy pumping would be required. [Italies supplied.] Comparison of the American and Mexican assumptions as to irrigable acreage.-From the foregoin official testimony, it is clear that the American negotiators were completely misinformed as to the area of irrigable land in Mexico. The Americans thought Mexico had at least 800,000 acres; the Mexicans knew that their net irrigable area was 494,200 acres. This discrepancy as to potential uses should be borne in mind in considering the next and similar misunderstanding as to past uses. 2. AS TO THE LAND AND WATER ALREADY PUT TO USE IN MEXICO The assumptions of the American negotiators.-Mr. Lowry, one of the State Department witnesses, said succinctly what some of his associates said in more detail (hearings, pt. 1, pp. 241, 242): Let me make one more statement, please. Mexico's use in recent years has approximated 1,800,000 acre-feet annually, and that is increasing. * * * * * * Another thing I want to point out about this chart is that as the United States expands it will be allowed under this treaty to cut into the supply now being used by Mexico to the extent of 300,000 acre-feet, cutting Mexico back to 1,500,000 acre-feet. That is the ultimate figure. [Emphasis supplied.] The Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate accepted these representations. Its report (Ex. Rept. 2, 79th Cong., 1st sess., February 26, 1945) said (p. 4): Mexico, on the other hand, is now using approximately 1,800,000 acre-feet a year, and in the meantime some 8,000,000 or 9,000,000 acre-feet of water flows through Mexican territory and wastes unused into the Gulf of California. The testimony is that it will be many years hence before this water can all be put to beneficial use in the United States. If and when that time arrives, present Mexican uses must be curtailed. Thus, by placing for all time a limit, measurably below present Mexican diversions, upon the obligation of the United States to supply Colorado River water to Mexico, the treaty provides needed assurance to American agencies and communities in planning future developments. The assumptions of the Mexican negotiators.-But Ing. Adolfo Orive Alba, whom we have previously introduced, reporting to the Mexican Senate, compared the amount of water Mexico was previously using, and the amount she would use under the treaty as follows: By means of the treaty the critically fortuitous condition of the crops of 120,000 hectares (296,500 acres) farmed at present is eliminated (area times 4.1 feet=1,215,650 acre-feet present annual use; see explanation infra).Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,610,905 byte