COLORADO RIVER

JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS 

U.S.-MEXICO 

GOOD NEIGHBOR ENVIRONMENTAL BOARD

Carlos Marin, U.S. Commissioner

International Boundary and Water Commission, 

United States and Mexico, United States Section

June 18, 2008
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.
Tijuana River Basin

Colorado River Basin

Rio Grande Basin

INTERNATIONAL RIVER 

BASINS

Pacific

Ocean Gulf of 

Mexico
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
1944 WATER TREATY– COLORADO RIVER

Lakes Powell and Mead approx. 50% full 

due to several years of drought

Reclamation has adopted shortage 

guidelines for Lower Basin States

Potential future reductions to Mexico due 

to extraordinary drought

U.S. has always delivered required volume 

on Colorado River
LAKE MEAD

1999 2006
COLORADO RIVER INTERNATIONAL 

TASK FORCE

 Established by IBWC in 1995

 Participation by IBWC, Reclamation, Conagua

 Five Work Groups:

Sediment – sediment removal and control projects

Salinity – projects reduce salinity of deliveries to Mexico

Conveyance Capacity and Boundary Preservation –

proposals to improve conveyance capacity and restore 

the international boundary

Delta – address ecosystem needs in the delta

All-American Canal Lining – options to reduce potential 

impact to Mexico of the project
COLORADO RIVER DELTA –

MINUTE 306 (2000)

 IBWC agreement established a framework for 

cooperation on ecosystem of Colorado River 

Delta and limitrophe

 Binational Advisory Group established

 Advisory Group has proposed various 

restoration and conservation projects

 Projects relate to improving flow regimes to 

benefit ecosystems, habitat improvement, native 

plants, and hydraulic modeling
COLORADO RIVER DELTA –

MINUTE 306

Colorado River often 

runs dry at SIB

Wellton-Mohawk 

salinity canal
ALL-AMERICAN CANAL LINING

 Part of agreement among Basin States to reduce 

California’s water use to its 4.4 maf allotment

 A parallel lined channel is being constructed for 23 miles

 67,000 acre-feet/year to be conserved; most water will 

go to San Diego County Water Authority

 Lining paid for by State of California

 Mexico opposed due to reduced seepage into the aquifer

 Potential impact on Mexican wells

 IBWC conducted extensive U.S.-Mexico consultations on 

potential measures to reduce impacts to Mexico but 

agreement was not reached

 Mexican entities litigated against the lining but lost

 Construction began 2007, expected completion in 2010

All-American Canal

Calexico

Delta

Colorado River 

limitrophe

Santa Clara Wetland
STAKEHOLDER INTEREST IN

U.S.-MEXICO COOPERATION

 U.S. Basin States prepared a white paper in 

2007 expressing interest in a dialogue with 

Mexico about Colorado River issues

 Proposed to bring together U.S. and Mexican 

water managers to discuss a variety of issues 

including conservation, new water sources, 

environmental issues, etc.

 Water managers in both countries concerned 

about increasing demands, drought, potential 

shortages

 Minutes 301 and 310 set precedent for state and 

local cooperation

 IBWC Task Force has promoted cooperation 

since 1990s
MINUTE 301 (1999)

 Framework for a feasibility study for a 

binational aqueduct to convey Colorado 

River water to urban areas of Baja 

California and California

 Potential binational coastal desalination 

plants also considered

 IBWC facilitated cooperation between 

San Diego County Water Authority, 

State of California, and Mexican federal 

and state agencies
MINUTE 310 (2003)

 Provides for emergency 

delivery of a portion of 

Mexico’s allotment of 

Colorado River water 

through California 

conveyance system

 Various U.S. entities 

cooperated:

San Diego County Water 

Authority

Metropolitan Water District 

of Southern California

Otay Water District

 Mexico pays all costs

Connection at Otay Mesa
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)

 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
COLORADO RIVER 

JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS

 IBWC has 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
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
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.
COLORADO RIVER 

JOINT COOPERATIVE PROCESS

 Each country has identified priorities for the cooperative 

process

 U.S. Priorities:

 Desalination

 Wetlands protection

 Water delivery to Tijuana through 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
COLORADO RIVER

JOINT 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

 Each Work Group to meet approx. once/month

 Core Group to meet quarterly
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION

UNITED STATES AND MEXICO

UNITED STATES SECTION

www.ibwc.gov

(915) 832-4100