WSP09883

• File Number: 8273.100
• Description: Colorado River Basin Salinity Control - Federal Agency Reports - BOR
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 9/1/1973
• Title: Colorado River International Salinity Control Project - Special Report - Executive Summary
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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waters delivered to Mexico above Morelos Dam if all United States projects
below Imperial Dam were operating in salt balance.* The administration of
President Diaz Ordaz of Mexico considered the proposal constructive, but
decided to leave the matter to the administration of President Echeverria,
who took office in December 1970. Minute No. 218 was therefore extended
for one year.

In 1971 and early 1912, the Governments exchanged several proposals
in an attempt to reach an agreement, extending Minute No. 218 in
November 1971 for another year so that the discussions might continue.
After further conversations in early 1972, Mexico requested a prompt,
permanent settlement.

The Presidents of the United States and Mexico met and issued a
joint communique on June 17, 1972. With this communique the search
for a solution entered another phase. President Nixon assured
President Echeverria of his desire for a definitive, equitable, and just
solution to the problem, announced that he was prepared to undertake
certain actions immediately to improve the salinity of waters delivered
to Mexico, and indicated he would designate a special representative
to develop a solution and to submit a report to him. Once approved by
the United States Government, the report would be submitted to
President Echeverria for his consideration and approval.

The President, on August 16, 1972, designated as his Special
Representative former Attorney General Herbert Brownell, Jr. He was
assisted by an Interagency Task Force.**

To immediately further improve the quality of water delivered to
Mexico above Morelos Dam, the two Governments approved a new Minute,
No. 241, signed July 14, 1972. It provided for the bypass of 118,000
acre-feet of Well ton-Mohawk drainage waters annually without charge
against the Treaty, more than twice the rate of the United States bypass
under Minute No. 218, and their replacement by other waters from above
Imperial Dam and from wells on the Yuma Mesa. The operations under
Minute No. 241 resulted in reducing the average annual salinity of
waters made available to Mexico from 1,245 ppm TDS in 1971 to 1,140 ppm
TDS for the year ending June 30, 1973. Operations under this Minute
continued until August 30, 1973, when they were terminated by provisions
of Minute No. 242.

*Salt balance in this context means that the same tonnage of salt is
returned to a river from an irrigation project in drainage as is diverted
to it in irrigation waters.
..The Task Force included representatives of Department of State,
Department of the Interior, Department of Defense (Corps of Engineers),
Environmental Protection Agency, Council on Environmental Quality, Office
of Science and Technology, Office of Management and Budget, Domestic
Advisory Council, and U.S. Section, International Boundary and Water
Commission.

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