Letter Responding to Request for Comments on the International Aspects of S. 1658

Letter: From Joseph F. Friedkin, to Dean Rusk, Secretary of State, March 26, 1964 (photocopy), page 1INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION UNITED STATES AND MEXICO 206 SAN FRANCISCO STREET EL PASO. TEXAS OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER UNITED STATES SECTION MAILING ADDRESS: P. O. BOX 1859 March 26, 1964 COPY The Honorable Dean Rusk, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C. Sir: Pursuant to your request, I submit this Section's comments on the international aspects of the draft bill proposed by the Secretary of the Interior for development of the water resources of the Pacific Southwest, dated January 29, 1964. Of most concern is the provision in Section 3 that ". . . the Secretary shall . . . (b) undertake programs for water salvage through groundwater recovery . . . along and adjacent to the mainstream of the Colorado River." This would involve the salvaging, by pumping, of groundwaters which now flow to and are used by Mexico. While I am certainly in accord with the objective of the United States to salvage and to utilize its waters to the extent feasible, there will be an adverse impact upon Mexico. The degree of the impact is not now known and depends in a large part upon the extent and manner of salvaging operations in the United States. The plan proposes use of the salvaged water to assist in meeting the Mexican Water Treaty obligations, and this involves questions as to feasibility. It is believed that the impact upon Mexico should be carefully defined and the United States position carefully delineated before adoption of any definite plan; and this will require extended study and investigations. Further, and before their adoption, I believe our Government should advise Mexico of the plans in detail. I, therefore,Epson Perfection 4870 Photo, 400 dpi, 8 bit, 1,467,858 byte