WSP00291

• File Number: 8278.400
• Description: Title I - Mexican Treaty
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 3/1/1962
• Author: IBWC
• Title: Mexican Water Treaty -Appendix B - Water Quality A Missing
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

.

This letter reflects the whole attitude of the proponents of the treaty so far as

the quality question was concerned. The emphasis was on the fact that United

States will be able to secure credit on its obligation for water in the river

irrespective of the source of the water.

To demonstrate that the proponents considered the question in terms

of source of water available for delivery, we turn to the testimony found in

the Hearings:

1. On page 20 of the Hearings in the testimony of Secretary of State

Stettinius wherein he was explaining that the treaty protects existing United

States uses and allows for future expansion of United States uses, we find

this statement:

"On the other hand, I am informed by men skilled in these matters
and familiar with all the facts that more than half of the million
and a half acre-feet of water allocated to Mexico will be made up,
under conditions of ultimate development in the United States, of
waste and return flows from lands within the United States."

2. During the testimony of L. M. Lawson, American Commissioner,

International Boundary Commission, Senator Tunnell, on page 82, asked for an

explanation of the benefits of this treaty, and this was Mr. Lawson's reply:

"The treaty itself fixes for all time the obligation of the
United States and the amount of water which Mexico will receive.
That amount of water we believe is even less than was offered to
Mexico in 1929, because, in just the reverse of that offer, this
treaty proposes to credit the United States with all the return
flow in the river, all the waste water that may arrive at the
boundary line, which has been estimated, in various ways, by
various persons, to amount to, we will say, an average of at
least 900,000 acre-feet.

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