WSP12529

• File Number: 8282.400
• Description: Colorado River Operations and Accounting - Deliveries to Mexico
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 12/1/2001
• Author: Michael Cohen
• Title: Colorado River Delta Efforts Make Progress - Excerpted from Pacific Institute Report - Newsletter of the Pacific Institute for studies in Development-Environment-Security - Winter 2001-2002 - 12-01-01
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

000580

Aldo Leopold
once described
the Colorado
River Delta as a
"milk and honey
wilderness. "

set of interim surplus criteria (see www.pacinst.org/
coriver.html) that would have created a specific baseline
to protect the lower Colorado River and delta by estab-
lishing an interim set of tiered releases to meet their en-
vironmental needs.
Partly in response to the NGO alternative ISC and
partly in response to a lawsuit (Defend-
ers et. al. v. Babbitt), the U.S. Dept. of
the Interior and SEMARNAT signed a
Joint Declaration to Enhance Coopera-
tion in the Colorado River Delta on May
18,2000.
To discuss the implementation of this
Joint Declaration, the Deputy Secretary
of the Interior convened a meeting of
U.S. stakeholders in October 2000.
At this meeting it became clear that
many of the water users wanted to see
some further demonstration of commit-
ment to delta restoration from Mexico before they would
be willing to move forward.

Binational Agreement Sets Stage

During one of the smaller working group sessions at
the meeting, the Pacific Institute and several other stake-
holders developed the idea of a binational, government-
to-government level agreement, in the form of a "con-
ceptual Minute," as an indication ofthis binational com-
mitment.
This led to the adoption of Minute 306 - "Conceptual
Framework for United States-Mexico Studies for Future
Recommendations Concerning the Riparian and Estua-
rine Ecology of the Limitrophe Section of the Colorado
River and its Associated Delta" - of the International
Boundary & Water Commission on December 12, 2000
(click "What's New" at www.ibwc.state.gov).
The Minute specifically recognizes the role ofNGOs
in promoting awareness of the ecological value of the
Colorado River delta, and formally recommends the es-
tablishment of "a forum for the exchange of information
and advice among government and NGOs."
This forum has taken the shape of a multi-stakeholder
binational planning committee, charged with planning
and organizing the Mexico-United States Binational Sym-
posium on the Colorado River delta.
The Pacific Institute was selected by the NGO com-

munity to participate on this planning committee, and
played a lead role in organizing the panels and poster
session on science and on-going restoration activities in
the region.
This symposium took place in Mexicali, Baja Califor-
nia, on September 11-12, with expert panels on the insti-
tutional, hydrologic, and scientific is-
sues in the delta.
The symposium was attended by
more than 400 stakeholders from
Mexico and the United States, includ-
ing representatives of water users,
state and federal agencies (including
senior government officials from both
countries), academia, community
groups, and NGOs.
In deference to U.S. stakeholders'
resistance to discu:?sing restoration al-
ternatives before they have a better un-
derstanding of the delta, the planning committee agreed
to limit the agenda of the planned symposium to a dis-
cussion of what is currently known about the delta, with
the expectation that this would provide the foundation
for future discussions on restoration alternatives.
Unfortunately, the tragic events of September 11 lim-
ited participation and discussion at the symposium.
Some U.S. stakeholders now claim that they will be
unwilling to discuss next steps until they have reviewed
the proceedings from the symposium, due at the end of
this year.

Progress Continues on Other Fronts

Meanwhile, progress on restoring the delta and the Up-
per Gulf of California continues on other fronts.
The State of California recently recognized the im-
portance of the region and pledged to support research
and collaboration in the area. On March 21 of this year,
the California Resources Agency, Cal/EPA, and
SEMARNAT issued a Joint Declaration "in Order to
Carry Out Joint Activities for the Conservation and Sus-
tainable Development of the Sea of Cortez Region."
Additionally, a research consortium announced the
availability of $400,000 for research in the Colorado
River delta and Gulf of California, furthering the scien-
tific understanding of the area and enhancing collabora-

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