BOARD01242

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2001
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Proposed Modifications to the Boards Colorado River Delta Policy ‎(Specifically Concerning the Yuma Desalter Plant)‎
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Agenda Item 12f Attachment
November 19-20, 2001 Board Meeting
Page 2 of9

RESOLUTION OF THE COLORADO W J\TER CONSERVATION BOARD
CONCERNING THE COLORj\DO RIVER DELTA
November 2001

WHEREAS, relations with Mexico, including the protection and conservation of the Colorado
River Delta (Delta) in Mexico have long been issues; and

WHEREAS, a treaty between the United States of Anjerica and the United Mexican States
relating to the utilization of the waters of the Colorad~ and Tijuana Rivers, and of the Rio Grande
was signed on February 3,1944 (1944 Treaty); and '

WHEREAS, the 1944 Treaty obligates the U.S.A. to deliver 1.5 MAF of water to Mexico from
the Colorado River annually, except during declared sUrplus or shortage conditions; and

WHEREAS, the 1944 Treaty provides that Mexico shall acquire no right beyond that provided by
the 1944 Treaty to the use of waters from the Coloradp River system; and

WHEREAS, Minute 242 to the 1944 Treaty was adop~ed to assure Mexico that the quality of
Colorado River water that it received would be no more than 115 ppm, plus or minus 30 ppm,
over the salinity of the Colorado River at Imperial Dam (879 ppm); and

WHEREAS, the main outlet drain and extension (MODE) from the Wellton-Mohawk area of
Arizona to the Yuma Desalting Plant and subsequently a bypass canal from the Desalter down
to the Santa Clara Slough were constructed for the purpose of assuring that the water quality of
the Colorado River waters delivered to Mexico were! met; and

WHEREAS, the expense of operating the Yuma Des~lter has precluded its use and resulted in the
MODE and bypass canal serving as the primary me~ns for disposing of these saline returns; and
I

WHEREAS, the Secretary oflnterior may utilize upto 132,000 AF of water conserved by
the lining of the Coachella Canal to offset the need to operate the Yuma Desalter on an
interim basis until deliveries of mainstem Colorado River water to California are less than
the sum of quantities requested under California's, 4.4 MAF apportionment; and

WHEREAS, the untreated returns released down the ~ODE and bypass canal have had positive
environmental effects on the Slough, but are not cou~ted as part of the 1944 Treaty delivery
obligation unless treated by the Yuma Desalter and rlltumed to the Colorado River within the
water quality standards established by Minute 242 of it he 1944 Treaty; and

WHEREAS, on May 18,2000 the U.S. Secretary oflpterior and the Secretariat of Environment,
Natural Resources and Fisheries of the United Mexicllll States entered into the, "JOINT
DECLARATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT: OF THE INTERIOR (DOl) OF THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE SECWTARIAT OF ENVIRONMENT,
I
NATURAL RESOURCES AND FISHERIES (SEMAANAP) OF THE UNITED MEXICAN
STATES TO ENHANCE COOPERATION IN THE iCOLORADO RIVER DELTA" ("Joint
Declaration").

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