IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 527
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Falcon International 
Dam, recognizing the dam’s importance as a source of water and power 
and as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the United 
States and the United Mexican States, and urging Mexico to honor 
all of its obligations under the 1944 Treaty Relating to the Utilization 
of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 11, 2004
Mr. RODRIGUEZ submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on International Relations 
RESOLUTION 
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Fal-
con International Dam, recognizing the dam’s importance 
as a source of water and power and as a symbol of 
friendship and cooperation between the United States 
and the United Mexican States, and urging Mexico to 
honor all of its obligations under the 1944 Treaty Relat-
ing to the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and 
Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande.
Whereas the 1944 Treaty Relating to the Utilization of Wa-
ters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio 
Grande between the United States and the United Mexi-
can States provided for the construction of the Falcon 
International Dam on the Rio Grande River to provide
•HRES 527 IH 
flood control, water conservation, and hydroelectric power 
for the benefit of communities on both sides of the bor-
der; 
Whereas on October 19, 1953, as construction on the dam 
neared completion, President Dwight D. Eisenhower and 
President Adolfo Ruiz Cortines of Mexico met at the cen-
ter of the Falcon International Dam to dedicate it to the 
well-being of the residents of both countries; 
Whereas the dam was completed on April 8, 1954, and the 
Falcon Power Plant generated power for commercial use 
for the first time on October 11, 1954; 
Whereas the Falcon International Dam is 26,394 feet long, 
and its construction created a beautiful 60-mile-long res-
ervoir known as Falcon Lake; 
Whereas the construction of the dam and reservoir resulted 
in the submersion and relocation of 5 townships in the 
United States and Mexico, including the town of Zapata, 
Texas; 
Whereas the Falcon International Dam and the adjacent 
United States Falcon State Park now serve as a valued 
community resource and source of pride for the residents 
of Zapata County, Texas and neighboring Starr County, 
Texas; 
Whereas Falcon Lake is considered one of the best fishing 
lakes in Texas and supports an emerging recreational 
tourism industry; 
Whereas the Falcon International Dam is an important 
source of water and power for irrigation and household 
use; 
Whereas operations at the Falcon International Dam require 
a coordinated binational effort among numerous agencies,
•HRES 527 IH 
including the International Boundary and Water Com-
mission, the United States Border Patrol, the Texas 
Parks and Wildlife Department, Zapata County, and 
their Mexican counterparts; 
Whereas the Mexican government recently defaulted on its 
water delivery obligations under the Treaty, and this has 
lowered the water level in the reservoir and hurt the com-
munities on the United States side of the border; 
Whereas the Falcon International Dam serves as an impor-
tant shared resource between the 2 countries and the 
continued success of the project requires mutual adher-
ence to the terms of the Treaty; 
Whereas the Falcon International Dam serves as a symbol of 
friendship and cooperation between the United States 
and Mexico; and 
Whereas October 11, 2004 marks the 50th anniversary of the 
opening of the Falcon International Dam: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the open-
ing of the Falcon International Dam; 
(2) recognizes that building of the Falcon Inter-
national Dam was an extraordinary project and that 
operating its facilities continues to represent a sub-
stantial undertaking; 
(3) acknowledges recent payments by the 
United Mexican States under the 1944 Treaty Re-
lating to the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado
•HRES 527 IH 
and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande between 
the United States and Mexico and urges Mexico to 
honor all of its obligations under the Treaty; 
(4) recognizes that the Falcon International 
Dam has been both an important source of water 
and power and a symbol of friendship and coopera-
tion between the United States and Mexico for 50 
years; and 
(5) recommits itself to the binational effort and 
spirit in which the Falcon International Dam was 
constructed.
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