COLORADO RIVER JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS U.S.-MEXICO

1. COLORADO RIVERJOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS U.S.-MEXICO ARIZONA-MEXICO COMMISSION WATER COMMITTEE C.W. “Bill” Ruth, U.S. Commissioner International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, June 5, 2009

2. IBWC MISSION The International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, is responsible for applying the boundary and water treaties between the two countries and settling differences that arise in their application.

3. 1944 WATER TREATY– COLORADO RIVER • U.S. to deliver to Mexico a volume of 1.5 million acre-feet per year • Mexico diverts water at Morelos Dam • When there are surplus waters, U.S. to deliver to Mexico a total volume of up to 1.7 million acre-feet per year • In extraordinary drought, Mexico reduced in proportion to U.S. Morelos Dam

4. COLORADO RIVER JOINT STATEMENT • Joint Statement issued Aug. 13, 2007 by DOI and Mexico’s Ambassador • IBWC should be utilized to expedite discussions on Colorado River cooperation on the following issues: • continued needs of both nations for water for urban, agricultural and environmental purposes, the study of the hydrological system and potential impacts of climate change, including the effects of the ongoing historic Colorado River drought • environmental priorities, including Colorado River Delta habitat protection and enhancement (implementation of Min. 306)

5. COLORADO RIVER JOINT STATEMENT • Joint Statement issues (continued): • opportunities for water conservation, storage, and supply augmentation such as seawater desalination and reuse, strategies aimed to ease variations in the Colorado River system • potential opportunities for more efficient Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico

6. COLORADO RIVER JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS • IBWC established a Binational Core Group to consider cooperative efforts • U.S. Core Group is comprised of: • USIBWC • Bureau of Reclamation • California • Nevada • Arizona • Upper Basin States • Non-Governmental Organizations

7. COLORADO RIVER JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS • Mexico’s Core Group is comprised of: • Mexican Section, IBWC • National Water Commission (Conagua) • Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources • Baja California • Sonora • Embassy of Mexico/Ministry of Foreign Relations • Non-Governmental Organizations

8. COLORADO RIVER JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS • Each country has established its objectives for the cooperative process • Objectives relate to: • Addressing current and future urban, agricultural, and environmental water needs • Management procedures for shortage conditions • Efficiency improvements • Water augmentation and storage options • Environment • Climate change, salinity, water exchanges, water system operations, etc.

9. COLORADO RIVER JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS • U.S. Priorities: • Desalination • Wetlands protection • Water delivery to Tijuana via the Otay connection • Shortage management • Mexican Priorities: • Irrigation district improvements • Desalination of ocean water • Sediment removal from the Wellton-Mohawk Drain • Hydraulic modeling related to the Colorado River Delta • Water delivery to Tijuana through the Otay connection Wellton-Mohawk (l), Colorado River channel (r)

10. COLORADO RIVERJOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS • Core Group has established four Work Groups, with broad participation from U.S. and Mexican stakeholders: • New Water Sources – particular interest in binational desalination • Conservation – especially irrigation conservation projects • System Operations – seeking efficiencies in how the system operates • Environment – preserve and restore the ecosystem of the limitrophe and Delta • Each Work Group to meet approx. once/month • Core Group to meet quarterly

11. COLORADO RIVERJOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS • Binational Field Trip • Held January 2009 • Visited sites in the U.S. and Mexico in the Lower Colorado River • Desalination – Core Group has authorized establishment of a Binational Technical Committee to study a proposed binational desalination plant at Rosarito • Limitrophe Reach – Environment Work Group is developing a map of priorities for conservation of the limitrophe and Delta • Cienega de Santa Clara – Environment Work Group has developed a proposed monitoring program for this wetland Cienega de Santa Clara

12. U.S.-MEXICO JOINT DECLARATION 2009 • Joint Declaration of DOI Secretary and Mexican Ambassador Sarukhan (Jan. 15, 2009) • Notes that recent periods of historic drought in the Colorado River Basin and growing recognition of the potential adverse impacts of climate change have stimulated efforts to identify cooperative and innovative approaches to ensure that the Colorado River allotment of each nation will continue to meet the needs of both nations • Applauds the efforts of IBWC to help identify cooperative and innovative measures that both countries could implement • Both governments support efforts to identify opportunities for water conservation, storage, supply augmentation, and environmental protection

13. CURRENT STATUS • Work Groups are analyzing projects that have been presented, the interrelationship of projects, and their environmental impact • U.S. Basin States presented to Mexico a discussion document concerning concepts for joint cooperative actions • IBWC is conducting talks about the discussion document • Core Group and Work Group meetings continue; meetings held June 2-3, 2009

14. INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSIONUNITED STATES AND MEXICO www.ibwc.gov (915) 832-4100