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DAVID GETCHES UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO: Mr. Getches said the Colorado River is controlled by banks, dams and other means. However, the river also is controlled through a system of laws referred to as the Law of the River. The Law of the River controls the river in a variety of ways, including dams and river operations; water quality issues (including salinity problems as the river enters Mexico); and environmental issues. Parts of the Law of the River intertwine the U.S. and Mexico and the first panel of the day includes those laws that deal with the two countries' relations regarding the Colorado River. The laws are evidence and inspiration that the two countries can cooperate in resolving problems of mutual concern regarding the Colorado River. JAIME TINOCO CN A BORDER ACTIVIES, MEXICO: Mr. Tinoco said that as an engineer, and like many engineers, he looks for problems with technical aspects of water problems. However the technical aspects are not necessarily the most relevant. The emphasis is shifting towards the social/political aspects of water and those are proving to be the most complicated. Sometimes technical solutions can fall into second place because although they can create solutions, they come at a high cost. LUIS ANTONIO RASCON MENDOZA INGENIERO PRINCIPAL, MEXICAN SEC- TION, INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION: Mr. Rascon said his presentation deals with international boundary and water treaties. He mentioned the principles of international law that are applied to continental international treaties, pointing out that territorial jurisdiction .does not allow a country to take advantage ~ natural resources in a way th;;may affect a - ----- UUlt..'t\J . DO 1.1...4 ~ n~ighboring country, such as diverting a river. Such aawns require the consent of the ~ country. Countries also may not affect the water quality of international flows via wastewater discharges. Countries are not allowed to build structures that may alter the flow of a water source into another country. Countries that violate these principles will have to prevent or suspend their violating actions and pay for the damages. In the 19th Century, the Guadalupe Hidalgo and Mesilla treaties established the border between the two countries. Rehabilitation of the international monuments took place under other treaties around 1880. The IBWC was created in 1889 by a treaty and continues to remain in effect today. There were a number of treaties between the two countries in the 20th Century including the Banks Treaty of 1905 and the Rectification of the Rio Grande Treaty in 1933 that allowed work to begin on stabilizing the Rio Grande. The 1970 Boundary Treaty establishes criteria to solve issues regarding the boundaries between the two counties and established that the boundaries of the two countries would continue to be the Rio Grande and Rio Colorado, and that no country will lose territory from shift course of these rivers. The 1944 Water Treaty is the most important of the water treaties between the two countries with reference to the Colorado River. It stipu- lates the Colorado River water rights of Mexico and gives certainty of a water supply to agricul- ture and other beneficial uses. The IBWC en- sures treaty obligations are being met and is divided into two sections: The Mexican Section under the Foreign Affairs Secretariat of Mexico and the U.S. Section, under the U.S. State De- partment. The sections have the necessary personnel to meet the responsibilities assigned by the governments. Jurisdiction of the IBWC includes territorial boundaries, international crossings, water quality issues, water measure- ment and accounting, operation of international dams, and water distribution. COLORADO RIvER DELTA BI-NATlONAL SYMPOSIUM PROCEEDINGS ENGLISH 21