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Last modified
1/26/2010 2:15:55 PM
Creation date
10/12/2006 12:41:40 AM
Metadata
Fields
Template:
Water Supply Protection
File Number
8278.400
Description
Title I - Mexican Treaty
Basin
Colorado Mainstem
Date
9/20/1944
Author
Jean Breitenstein
Title
Memorandum Concerning Proposed Treaty Between the United States and Mexico Over Use of the Waters of the Border Streams
Water Supply Pro - Doc Type
Publication
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<br />Those who oppose ratification of the treaty argue that the amount. I. 500.000 acre-feet. is too <br />much because it represents an amount greatly in excess of th.J.t which was used by Mexico prior to <br />the construction of Boulder Dam. The assertion is made that the Mexican uses before Boulder Dam <br />went into operation did not exceed 750.000 acre-feet annually. No good purpose would be served by <br />speculating as to the amount of wate-r which Mexico could have used under natural flow conditions <br />as they existed before the construction of Boulder Dam and before the beginning in 1931 of the <br />ten-year low water period. What is important is that Mexico has plans which will require consider- <br />ably more than 1.500,000 acre-feet a year and in 1943 actually diverted and used more than <br />1.800,000 acre-feet, It is true thar of this 1.800,000 acre,feet substantial quantiries were taken <br />through rhe Rockwood heading of the Alamo Canal. Opponents of the treaty assert thar if the use <br />of this facility. which is locared in the United States, was denied to Mexico. then Mexico could not <br />use more than the 750.000 acre-feer annually which it used prior to the regulation of the stream by <br />Boulder Dam, This involves an engineering question as to the abiliry of Mexico to divert rhrough <br />gravity headings or pumps within its own borders. There is somewhat naturally a diversity of engi- <br />neering opinion. However. the fact is certain that in other places substantial diversions are made under <br />conditions which are jusr as adverse, Examples may be found along the Rio Grande, another <br />international stream. <br /> <br />It is well to bear in mind that during the five year period 1939-1943 inclusive the average <br />annual releases from Boulder Dam were approximately 12,000.000 acre-feet and the average annual <br />flow of the srream past the Yuma gaging station. and below all important United States diversions. <br />was approximately 8,300,000 acre feet, Wirh such amounts of water passing to Mexico it must <br />be expected that engineering ingenuity will evolve a method of diversion, particularly since there is <br />desirable land in Mexico upon which the water can be used. <br /> <br />Attention is directed to the fact that under the contract for the Alamo Canal conc('ssion Mexico <br />had a right to use up to one-half of the water carried by the Alamo Canal. In the thirreen-year period <br />immediately preceding the placing in operation of Boulder Dam the average annual diversions rhrough <br />the Alamo Canal were approximately 3,000.000 acre-feet. Under the terms of the concession, Mexico <br />was entitled to one-half or approximately 1.500.000 acre-feet annually. <br /> <br />No technical knowledge is required to understand that the treaty provisions, by which the <br />United States is credit('d with return flows and d('si1ting Water. impos(' a much less sev('r(' obligation <br />than exisud under the provisions of the Alamo Canal Concession. <br /> <br />Reference has also been made that in 1929 rhe American Section of the International Boundary <br />Commission suggested that after Boulder Dam was built. 750.000 acre-feet per year be delivered to <br />Mexico according to a schedule, plus an amount of water sufficient to compensate for main canal <br />losses, It is said that the amount guaranteed by the proposed treaty is double the 1929 offer. This <br />is not correct. The 1929 offer would have necessitated deliveries either to the Alamo Canal by the <br />present heading or through the All-American Canal and the Pilor Knob Wasteway. In either case, <br />Mexico would have received. in addition to the 750.000 acre-feer. an estimated 200.000 or 300.000 <br />acre~feet to compensate for canal losses. and all desilting water and all return water accruing to the <br />river below the diversion point. The sum of these quantities might have exceeded the amount guar~ <br />anteed by the proposed treaty, In any event, it is clear that the 750,000 acre-fen to have been de- <br />livered by the All-American Canal far exceeds the amount that Mexico will receive from such source <br />under the present treaty. which requires the United States to deliver through such facility only 500.000 <br />acre-feer annually from the time of the completion of the Davis Dam unril 1980 and 375,000 acre- <br />feet annually thereafter, <br /> <br />In discussing the propriety of the amount of water guaranteed to Mexico by the proposed treaty. <br />it is proper to direct attention to the situation regarding the proposed Pilot Knob power plant. The <br />All-American Canal is constructed with a capacity of 15,000 second-feet down to Syphon Drop; <br />from there to Pilor Knob. a capacity of 13.000 second-feet. Beyond Pilot Knob, the capacity is <br />10,000 second-feet, Proposals have been made by California interests for the construction of a power <br /> <br />9 <br />
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