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<br />Western States Water Council <br />Meeting <br /> <br />Boise, Idaho <br />April 12, 1974 <br /> <br />;~~{?; <br /> <br />N <br />N <br />W <br /> <br />,.. <br />~ <br /> <br />The Mexican government would not negotiate on the basis <br />of either of these two alternatives. Instead, agreement was <br />reached on the basis of the two countries joining in a limited <br />pumping war with both countries to limit pumping within five <br />miles of the Arizona-Sonora boundary to 160,000 acre-feet <br />per year. It appears that except for a small amount of mining <br />(annual draft in excess of average replenishment) of waters in <br />the Yuma area, the pumping war "solution" will restore interests <br />in the basin states to essentially the position they occupied prior <br />to the initiation of pumping. by the Mexican government, provided <br />all costs are borne by the federal government. It will in no way <br />enhance that position. <br /> <br />The Colorado River has experienced a long-term increase <br />in salinity. All recent investigations by federal and state agencies <br />show that the salinity of the river will continue to increase as a <br />result of necessary increases in use of water in this water-short <br />area of the United States unless a major basin wide salinity <br />control program is undertaken. <br /> <br />The projected increase in salinity will affect water users in <br />the Colorado River Basin in both the United States and the <br />Republic of Mexico. It is estimated that by the turn of the century <br />unless the rise of the river salinity is checked economic detriments <br />in the United States will increase by about $80 million annually. <br />The river's increasing salinity must be expected also to affect <br />adversely our relations with Mexico. <br /> <br />,~:~~~) ; <br /> <br />To control the salinity at and above Imperial Dam, increases <br />in salinity that will occur with increased uses of the river such <br />as those associated with coal and shale oil development must be <br />balanced with projects and measures that prevent salt from entering <br />the mainstem of the river. Unless these control measures are <br />taken the salinity of water at Imperial Dam will continue to rise. <br /> <br />During the negotiations leading to Minute 242, Mexico was <br />informed by the United States negotiators that the United States <br />intends to undertake a program to control the salinity at Imperial <br />Damo Both the prIncipal United States negotiator and the principal <br />Mexican negotiator expect that a salinity control program will be <br />undertaken. Ambassador Brownell in his report to the President <br /> <br />A-12 <br />