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RELEASE OF COLORADO RIVER WATER 27 OFFICIAL ACTION TAKEN THUS FAR BY THE UNITED STATES On March 14, 1962, the Presidents of the United States and Mexican announced that the United States and Mexican Commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission would each appoint a panel of qualified consultants from each country for the purpose of studying the problems and recommending solutions without regard to the legal position of each country. These panels have been convened. It is anticipated that they will shortly report on their conclusions and may recommend a solution. AREAS INVOLVED IN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO United States The Colorado River originates in Wyoming and extends some 1,400 miles, draining areas of seven States-Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and California. The drainage area covers approximately one-twelth of the United States and crosses the international boundary into Mexico near Yuma, Ariz. For most of these States, the Colorado River is either the major or only significant water resource. Because of this factor, the division of the water resources of the Colorado River has been the subject of a domestic controversy for more than 30 years. There is now pending for decision before the Supreme Court of the United States litigation commenced 10 years ago among four of the seven States and to which the United States is a party. The probable ramifications of this decision in considering any proposal with Mexico are great. They will be discussed separately in this memorandum. Mexico In Mexico, the area irrigated with the waters of the Colorado River which are diverted at Morelos Dam, consist at the present time of approximately 400,000 acres in the Mexicali Valley, which geographically is an extension at the south of the Imperial Valley in California. Until 1960, there were large amounts of surplus water coming down the Colorado River into Mexico which she could use pursuant to the treaty. As a result, the irrigated acreage in the Mexicali Valley was greatly expanded and exceeded 500,000 acres. At the same time, water was being sparsely applied to the cropped land. As a result, the salinity in the soils of the Mexicali Valley has been building up steadily for more than 20 years. There has never been an adequate drainage system installed in the Mexicali Valley which would permit the leaching of the salinity from the soil as is required in good irrigated farming practices. These latter facts already have been confirmed by the American panel currently working on the problem. Thus, the increase in salinity of irrigation water last fall is only one contributing factor to the problem. BACKGROUND TO TREATY Prior to the construction of Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, irrigated agriculture along the lower Colorado River, and particularly in Mexico, was entirely at the mercy of seasonal fluctuations in the river. Huge spring floods followed by severe water shortages in the late summer and early fall months were the rule rather than the exception. These factors greatly limited the number of acres which could be developed in Mexico. Geographically she possessed no sites upon which to construct storage dams. The United States, at cost of over $225 million, first constructed in the United States Hoover Dam and then Davis Dam to control control the floods and regulate downstream flows. Mexico did not pay any of the cost of these structures even though she is a prime beneficiary of their benefits. Upon the completion of Hoover Dam in 1935, thereby assuring for the first time regulated downstream water releases, it became essential that the water rights of Mexico and the United States be determined and the quantity of water available for further development in each country be fixed. Treaty negotiations were opened with Mexico in 1941. During those negotiations two significant factors developed. Mexico at that time sought some guarantee as to the quality of water which would be obtainable in the years to come. At issue were two types of water and names were developed for them during the negotiations. Mexico referred to water which would be released from storage as "white water" and to drainage water and other return flows as "green water." The other significant factor was that there would be irrigation projects constructed in Arizona which would produce a large quantity of return flows to the river justEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,723,048 byte