BOARD00592

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2001
• Description: CF Section - Investments - Colorado River Compact and Colorado River Delta Issues
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

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Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone],3441
fAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.<.:o.tls

Bill Owens
Covernor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

Rod Kuharich
(WeB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

MEMORANDUM

To:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Randy Seaholm, Chief Water Supply Protection P
Mike Serlet, P,E" Chief, Water Supply Planning and
Finance Section

From:

Date:

November 6,2001

Subject:

Agenda Item 2Sd, November 19-20, 2001 Board Meeting-
Water Supply Planning and Finance - Investments -
Colorado River Compact and Colorado River Delta Issues

Introduction

The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) will be asked to approve a staff recommendation for
the expenditure of up to $100,000 from the Construction Fund for staff involvement in activities related to
Colorado River Compact and Mexican Treaty issues associated with the request to deliver additional
water to the Colorado River Delta (Delta) in Mexico,

Backl!round

The CWCB in cooperation with the Seven Colorado River Basin States has been working with federal
agencies to address issues associated with the Delta, Briefly, relations with Mexico and the protection
and conservation of the Delta in Mexico have become issues, The 1944 Mexican Water Treaty (Treaty)
obligates the U,S. to deliver 1,5 MAF of water to Mexico annuaIly, except during declared surplus or
shortage conditions, Furthermore, the Treaty provides that Mexico shaIl acquire no right beyond that
provided by the Treaty to the use of waters from the Colorado River system,

Subsequently, Minute 242 to the Treaty was adopted assuring Mexico that the quality of Colorado River
water received would be no more than I IS ppm, plus or minus 30 ppm, greater than the salinity of the
river at hnperial Dam, A waste water drain (bypass) from the WeIlton-Mohawk area of Arizona to the
Santa Clara Slough was constructed for the purpose of assuring this water quality along with the
construction of the Yuma Desalting Plant. However, given the expense of operating the Desalter, the
bypass has been the primary means of disposing of highly saline returns, which are not counted as part of
the Treaty delivery unless treated by the Desalter and returned to the river. The untreated saline returns
have had positive environmental effects on the Slough,

On May 18,2000 the U,S, Secretary of Interior and the Secretariat of Environment, Natural Resources
and Fisheries of the United Mexican States entered into the, "JOINT DECLARATION BETWEEN THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (DOl) OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE

Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning