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<br />MEXICAN WATER TREATY
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<br />The treaty permits of increasing the cultivated area to the total of the area
<br />-that can be cultivated economically, that iSJ to 200,000 net hectares (494,200
<br />acres). [Emphasi.s, and caloulation in parentnesesJ ,added.}
<br />As to future uses, he says in more detail:
<br />Now then for the irrigation of the net 200,000 hectares (1,94,200 acres), in accord-
<br />ance with the coefficient of irrigation observed as an average since the commence~
<br />ment of llgr!cultural work in the Mexicali Valley (1.25 meters or 4.1 feet), a
<br />volume of 2,500,000,000 cubic meters (2,026,700 acre-feet) would be needed.
<br />Tbis voiume can be obtained with the amount guaranteed by the treaty of
<br />1,850,000,000 cubic meters (1,500,000 acre-feet) in the minimum yea.I'S or 2J097,-
<br />000,000 (1,700,000 acre-feet) in the majority of the years plus the water teat is
<br />pumped from wells-similar to those existing on the. laguna-which will more
<br />than supply the deficiency between the quantity required and the quantity
<br />guaranteed by the treaty.
<br />If the coefficient of irrigation in Mexicali Valley should be increased notably,
<br />it will be necessary to make a greater Use of the abundant (freaticas) water
<br />which exists 'in the subsoil of Mexicali Valley. If, on the contrary, as,We hope,
<br />by a greater ppeparation of our farmers the coefficient of irrigation diminishes,
<br />it will be practically possibte to irrigate the whote of the 200,000 net hectares (494,200-
<br />acres) existing. with the votume guaranteed by the treaty. [Emphasis supplied.)
<br />Oomparison oj the American and Mexican assumptions as to land
<br />and water already put to use in Mexico.-It is a very plain that the
<br />American negotiators,'for some reason, were convinced that Mexico
<br />was already using 1,800,000 acre-feet of water from the river, and that
<br />this use was increasing; hence that a limitation of 1,500,000 acre-feet
<br />was a good bargain. But the Mexicans knew that they were using
<br />not over 1,216,000 acre-feet, that they were iITigating only 296,000
<br />acres; that the treaty meant an expansion in irrigated area to 494,000
<br />acres, an increase of 67 percent, instead of a decrease as claimed by the
<br />American negotiators; and that the treaty, of course, would bring a like
<br />increase in the quantity of water used, from 1,216,000 acre-feet to lLt
<br />least 1,500,000, and not a decrease of 300,000 acre-feet as claimed.
<br />With continued pumping, the Mexicans stated their expectation of
<br />realizing over. 2,000,000 acre-feet, compared with 1,216,000 acre-feet
<br />produced by all methods, including pumping, prior to the treaty.
<br />These comparisons are the background for the next and probably
<br />most basic of the conflicting assumptions which guided the two sets
<br />negotiators. .
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<br />8, AS. TO QUANTITY OF WATER WHICH MEXICO COULD PUT TO USE
<br />WITHOUT A TREATY
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<br />Here we get into three or four related hypotheses such as: First,
<br />how much water an arbitrl1tion tribunal might award Mexico; second,
<br />whether she could get along without storage and diversion works on
<br />American soil; and, third, whether an arbit,ration court. would award
<br />her the use of those American works, The reports on these points
<br />given by the two "ets of officials to their respective Senates ran as
<br />follows:
<br />'I'heas8umptions of the American negotiators,-The Under Secretary .
<br />of State, Hon, Dean Acheson, testified as follows (hearings, pt. 5;
<br />p. 1766): .
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<br />Senator DOWNEY. All right, Mr. Secretary. Let me then take up another
<br />subject. ,
<br />You assume in your statement a certain understanding, which I Will read to
<br />you. It is only four or five lines. You say:
<br />' IIToday some 8,000,000. acre-feet a year of this water' are wasting through
<br />Mexican territory. There is nothing to stop Mexico's using more and more of
<br />this water as time goes on." .
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