The Problem of the Rio Colorado Waters

Document: "The Problem of the Rio Colorado Waters", 1964 (thermofax), page 2-2- In the use of waters of an international river, the right of one riparian State ends when it starts to cause damage to the other riparian States. This is the rule we observe with the water delivered to the United States from Mexican tributaries of the Bravo River. It is also the rule that the United States was applying before the pumping began in the Wellton Mohawk Valley of Arizona. I see no just reason why the riparians of one side of the river should receive pure and proper waters for farming and the riparians of the other margin should receive salt waters, improper for farming. A definite demonstration that the American government considers that we are right, derives from the fact that, proportionally, the salinity of the waters has been reduced until such time as a permanent and effective solution, agreed on by both countries, be reached. Law and equity are on our side, and Mexico has never lost its faith in justice and law. The strength of law is irrisistible and I will depend upon that force to defend the interests of Mexico. @@@ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WASHINGTON. D.C. 20240 IN REPLY REFER TO: 430 DEC 9-1964 Memorandum To: Mr. Orren Beaty Assistant to the Secretary From: Commissioner of Reclamation Subject: Storage water requirements to satisfy scheduled winter deliveries to Mexico from the Colorado River under Treaty of 1944 This is in response to your recent request for estimates on the amount of storage water releases that would be required to provide the winter treaty minimum rate of Colorado River water to Mexico if all flow from the Wellton-Mohawk Drain bypassed the Mexican diversion point at Morelos Dam. Estimates on this provided to you by the State Department indicate that the future base flow available to Mexico during the winter months will amount to 935 second-feet, excluding flow of the Wellton-Mohawk Drain. This gives the erroneous impression that no storage releases would be required. We are convinced that the State Department estimates are too high, and that some storage releases will be required. The 850 second-feet of present base flow used in their estimates includes about 50 second-feet of storage water, if it is based upon flow records for the first half of October 1964. Also the estimates include 60 second-feet of flow from wells in the South Gila Division that will not be operated during the winter months and other increased flows that we are unable to confirm. Our own estimate of future flow available for Mexico, assuming operation of bypass channel for the Wellton-Mohawk Drain, is as follows:Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 2,226,185 byte