BOARD00592

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

Agenda Item 25d
November 19-20, 2001 meeting
Page 60f6

,

,

in analyzing Lower Colorado River operations, in particular:Reclamation's failure to consider the
impacts of its actions on federally listed species in the beltaiin Mexico; and
!
,
WHEREAS, without participation from all the Colorado Ri~er Basin States, the International Boundary
and Water Commission adopted Minute 306 (attached) to the 1944 Treaty on December 12, 2000 and
informed the Colorado River Water Users Association at their annual convention in Las Vegas,

e

NOW THEREFORE l3E IT RESOLVED that it is the \)olicy of the Colorado Water Conservation Board
with respect to the Colorado River Delta in Mexico:

1. To continue to learn more about Delta issues and Mexi4an law and institutions,
2, To continue to monitor activities of the mwc, pal'ticul~rly with respect to Minute 306,
3, To recommend to the Colorado Attorney General that an amicus brief be filed in the pending
litigation with the Defenders of Wildlife, if appropriate~ asserting that ESA has no a\)plication
outside the borders of the United States of America,
4, To actively participate with the other Colorado River Basin states in developing positions on issues
concerning the Delta and communicate those positions -to their respective congressional delegations,
the State and Interior Departments and water user~,
5, To insist that both the State and Interior Departments cbordinate and communicate with the Colorado
River Basin States on issues concerning the Delta and ~cknowledge the basin states' authority to
administer water and water rights within their borders rursuant to interstate compact and allocations
made therein,
6, To encourage sound and unbiased research concerning the natural environment oftne Delta and the a
establishment of clear and concise recovery goals for threatened and endangered species in the ..
Colorado River Basin.
7. To acknowledge that protection and enhancement ofthe natural resources of the Delta are important
to Mexico and environmental organizations and Urge t~e D,S government to assist Mexico in
protecting the resources of the Delta, i
8. To oppose the U.S, making any commitments to provilie any Colorado River water other than what is
,
currently required by the 1944 Treaty and allowed by the Law of the Colorado River,
9, To encourage Mexico to find management or structural solutions within the waters available to
Mexico pursuant to the 1944 Treaty,
10, To acknowledge that Delta restoration and the Interim Surplus Guidelines are separate issues and
should not be linked,
II. Litigation of any issue associated with restoring the Ilelta, such as the litigation by the Defenders of
Wildlife concern.ing ESA compliance, is considered $productive and disruptive to discussions
concerning the belta, Therefore, any financial Or tecjmical assistance should be opposed until such
litigation is concluded, I
12, To oppose any assistance to Mexico on Colorado Riyer Delta issues that in any way adversely
impacts assistance to other endangered species recovery efforts in the U.S.
13, Encourage that the Department of State appoint a U.S, Commissioner to the mwc that is
knowledgeable on Colorado River issues,

Done this 27th day of March, 2001,

R.andy~s Computer\C:my documents\CRDeltaapp&BoardMeml12001.doc

e