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<br />The 1940's <br /> <br />The International Water Treaty <br /> <br />The 1940's brought several measures to a head, one of <br />woich was the division of water rights bet~een Mexico and the <br />U.S. As early as 1920, irrigation needs in Mexico were so <br />critical that an International Water Commission liaS set up in <br />1924 to help alleviate the problem. However, the Commission <br />was basically ineffective for 20 years, having to take ~ back <br />seat to Hoover Dam and other U.S. developments in the southwest. <br /> <br />Finally in 1944, as a result of the Commission's efforts, <br /> <br />the International iiater Treaty was sigaed bet,;.;eeu 2-Iexico and <br />the U.S. The agree~ent allowed for Texas to draw one third of <br />Mexico's run-off into the Rio Gr~nde River Basin (some 350,000 <br />acre-faet) in exchar.ge for a guara~teed flow of 1,500,000 acre- <br />feet of the Colorado River to Iv!exico. The American. generosity <br /> <br />was, of course, for the benefit of Texas at the expense of the <br /> <br />Colorado River Basin. With the already proven political power <br />of Califor"lia and Arizona, it's a wonder that the Treaty got <br />through Congress. (1 ,4,6) <br /> <br />Peace in the Upper Basin <br /> <br />Late in the 1940's, the Up:'er Basin finally came to an <br />agreement on individual I,rater allowaIlces, when they set up <br />the Upper Colorado River Commission. After the division of <br />the waters, it was the Commission's duty to investigate, rule <br />upon, an.d facilitate proposed develop:n.ents on the Upper Color- <br /> <br />-13- <br />