INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMISSION

COMISIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE LÍMITES Y AGUAS

U.S. Commissioner Edward Drusina

Good Neighbor Environmental Board

March 24, 2011

Washington, DC

Hydroelectric Power – a Renewable 

Energy Source at the U.S-Mexico Border
PRESENTATION OUTLINE

 IBWC Mission

 1944 Water Treaty

 Falcon and Amistad Dams

 Reservoir and Power Production Data

 Low-Flow Power Generation

 Dam Safety and Security

 Work Conditions

 Solar and Wind Power

 Western Area Power Administration
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.
1944 WATER TREATY

 Goal of the Treaty was to 

provide for the most complete 

and satisfactory utilization of 

the waters of the Rio Grande, 

Colorado, and Tijuana Rivers

 Authorized construction of 3 

international storage reservoirs 

on the Rio Grande

 Specified the priority of uses of 

international waters; preference 

given to domestic and municipal 

uses, agriculture and stock 

raising, and electric power

Amistad Dam on the

Rio Grande
1944 WATER TREATY

 Article 7 – “The Commission 

shall study, investigate and 

prepare plans for generating 

hydroelectric energy which 

may be feasible to construct at 

the international storage dams 

on the Rio Grande.”

 Power generated shall be 

shared equally by both 

countries

 Two international storage dams 

were constructed

► Falcon Dam - 1954

► Amistad Dam - 1969

Falcon Dam
FALCON DAM

 Located 75 miles downstream 

from Laredo, TX

 One powerhouse each on U.S. 

and Mexican sides

 Total capacity of each 

powerhouse is 31,500 kilowatts

 Per Treaty, power generated 

equally for both countries, 

regardless of ownership of 

water released

 Black start plant used to 

restore power to the grid 

during outages

U.S. Power Plant
AMISTAD DAM 

 Located at Del Rio,TXCiudad Acuña, Coahuila

 U.S. power plant built in 

1983 (hydropower capital 

cost not considered costeffective in 1960s)

 Mexican power plant built in 

1987

 Total capacity of each power 

plant is 66,000 KW

 Black start plant
RESERVOIR SIZE

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

Amistad Falcon Parker Elephant

Butte

A

C

R

E

F

E

E

T

Reservoir Conservation Capacity
POWER PRODUCTION DATA

0

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

Amistad Falcon Parker Elephant

Butte

Average Annual U.S. Power Production 

MWh
ANNUAL POWER PRODUCTION 

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

2001 2003 2005 2007 2009

Annual Power Generation in MWh

Amistad

Falcon
LOW-FLOW GENERATION

 During drought of the 1990s and 

early 2000s, releases were so 

low that water could not be run 

through the turbines and 

generators

 IBWC has studied the feasibility 

of installing low-flow generating 

units at both power plants

 Proposed that funding come 

from WAPA, STEC, and Mexico’s 

Federal Electricity Commission

Turbine shaft at 

Amistad
LOW-FLOW GENERATION

 Proposed low-flow units:

►On the Mexican side at Amistad - $11.58 million

►On the U.S. side at Falcon - $7.3 million

 IBWC preparing Joint Report of the Principal 

Engineers this year to outline design and 

construction

Mexican facilities 

at Amistad
DAM SAFETY

Amistad Dam

 Dam safety classification of “Urgent” due to seepage 

from naturally-occurring sinkholes

 IBWC expert consultants are developing 

recommendations to address dam safety problems

 Report with recommended remediation work and 

cost estimates expected by 2013; costs of up to 

$500 million total U.S. and Mexico are possible

Amistad Dam

2010 flood releases
DAM SECURITY

 US-Mexico border region plagued with 

violence.

► Incidents on or near IBWC doorsteps:

 murder of jet skier on Falcon Lake, gunfire, 

drug/human trafficking, discovery of dead 

bodies, piracy/thefts on the lakes...

► Federal Law Enforcement Agencies 

stretched too thin to assist with 

facility/personnel security.
DAM SECURITY

 Planned Security Upgrades

►Physical security – fences, gates, locks

►Closed Circuit Television

►Alarm systems

 Security Guard Program Improvements

► Increase number of guards

►New rigorous training program to better 

prepare them for challenges on the border

► Increase pay, reduce recruiting and 

retention challenges 
GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVE

USIBWC Facilities Renovation

 New administration 

buildings for Amistad, 

Falcon, Lower Rio Grande, 

and San Diego offices

 Green design to meet LEED 

platinum certification

►Lower operating costs

►Reduce waste to landfills

►Conserve energy and water

►Reduce greenhouse gases

►Demonstrate USIBWC 

environmental commitment

LEED Building in Colorado

Solar Panel 

Covered 

Parking
GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVE

USIBWC Facilities Renovation

 Investigating feasibility of 

wind turbine and 

photovoltaic solar systems

 Will serve as a significant 

launch point for a longterm, USIBWC sustainability 

program 

 Serve as commitment to 

renewable energy initiatives

Solar Array 

Panels

Wind 

Turbine
WESTERN AREA POWER 

ADMINISTRATION 

 WAPA markets and delivers 

federal hydroelectric power 

across 15 western states, 

enough for 11 million homes

 In 2008, hydropower provided 

67% of U.S. renewable energy

 Hydropower advantages

► Reliability

► Adaptability

► Low outage rates

► Generator longevity

 Hydropower impacted by a 

decade of drought

Hoover Dam/Lake Mead in 2007
WESTERN AREA POWER 

ADMINISTRATION 

 WAPA-marketed hydro plants in 

border states:

► Amistad and Falcon Dams (TX)

► Parker and Davis Dams (AZ)

► Hoover Dam (AZ, NV)

► Central Valley, 18 dams (CA) 

► Washoe (NV, CA)

 Transmission Infrastructure Program

► Established in 2009 as a Recovery Act 

project

► Goal is to expand transmission grid for 

renewable energy

Davis Dam
CONCLUSIONS

 Hydropower is a viable renewable energy source in 

the border region but can be affected by drought

 Projects are being developed to increase 

hydropower generation during drought

 Federal government should continue to support 

maintenance of aging hydropower facilities

 Dam safety and security issues must be addressed
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMISSION

COMISIÓN INTERNACIONAL DE LÍMITES Y AGUAS

USIBWC

4171 N. Mesa Street, Suite C-100

El Paso, TX 79902-1441

www.ibwc.gov

(915) 832-4100