Memorandum of Conversation on Colorado River Salinity

Memorandum of Conversation: From J.F. Friedkin, to the two Commissioners and the two Secretaries, "Colorado River Salinity," July 3, 1964, page 1CONFIDENTIAL INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION UNITED STATES AND MEXICO 206 SAN FRANCISCO STREET EL PASO, TEXAS 79950 July 3, 1964 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 1859 MEMORANDUM OF CONVERSATION PARTICIPANTS: The two Commissioners and the two Secretaries SUBJECT: Colorado River Salinity DISTRIBUTION: ARA/MEX; AmEmbassy, Mexico, D. F.; the Commissioner; PE (S); PE; OE; Secy. At the request of the Mexican Commissioner, we held our second meeting, looking to a solution of the Colorado River Salinity Problem in the afternoon of July 2, with clarification of views exchanged this morning, July 3. The Mexican Commissioner advised that he wished to present his preliminary personal views from initial study of our proposal, carefully qualifying that at this time he could not in any way express or indicate what position his government may take. He plans to leave Sunday, July 5, for Mexico City for conferences with the concerned ministries of his government. He presented four points: 1) Mexico would desire that a bypass channel have sufficient capacity to bypass all Wellton-Mohawk effluent waters, to include waters bypassed at Mexico's request with charge to Mexico. 2) Mexico's preference in respect of the alternatives proposed, would be as follows (letter designations as our letter proposal): c) A separate channel for bypass. b) A dike in the main channel of the river for a separate bypass. a) Closing of Morelos Dam gates to use main channel of the river as a bypass. d) Tile drainage. 3) Mexico may, subject to studies, consider that a bypass channel would have to be extended well below Morelos Dam and lined to CONFIDENTIALEpson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,944,879 byte