, 1935-08-21
F. D. PUTS HIS
SIGNATURE ON
! RIVER Bill
Giant d q ms Across
Rio and Finish Of
o d Control To
Result

WASn1NG1ONs Aus. 1O.-Ine RIO
crande Bill, introduced by Repre-
sentative Milton II. West OF Browns
VILE and calling for q treaty between
Mexico and the United States on
division OF waters Of the river for
irrigation purposes. was signed into
law Tuesday by President Roosevelt.
Signing Of the Rio drande Bill
into law Is expected to result among
ether things In the construction OF
three giant dams along the Rio
Grande 70 impcund water for irrt-
Cation purposes. The dam nearest
the Valley would extend across the
international stream near Roma. and
would impound enough water TO
guarantee adequate supply for year
round irrigation IN the Lower Rio
Grande Valley.
The bill also Is expected to re-
lease TO the international Boundary
Commission q sum Of S4,743. 900 re-
quested by the state department TO
complete the Valleys flood control
program. The bill places the work
OF maintaining flood control work In
the hands Of the state department,
and as funds had been delayed prev
iously for completion Of the project
because no guarantee Of maintenance
had been provided, resumption Of
flood control work IL expected at
an early date.
The following explanation Of the
bill has been furnished The
Brownsville Herald by Congressman
West:
The bill authorizes the state De-
partment TO negotiate a treaty with
Mexico for flood control, division Of
the waters OF the Rio Grande. etc.
sr1asmuch as property rights OF the
two governments are involved, the
State Department does not have, as
they have In many instances. the
authority to negotiate such q treaty
without an Act Of Congress. The
provision OF the bill authorizing a
treaty for a dTyssicn Of the waters
only applies TO that portion OF the
Rio Grande from Fort Quitmar IN
Brewster County to It's mouth as q
treaty has been negotiated On the
other portion Of the Rio Grande.
AAAE DAAA 40bAAQ& AGI0 tAlC 4A&h@A~
national Boundary Commission IN
conjunction with representatives OF
Mexico to assemble information for
the basis Of the treaty:
ID To accomplish and properly
Erark the international boundary py
Recommendation, fencing and etc;
CD To agree upon the amount OF
flood waters each OF the countries
arc TO control. It Is my understand
inP that before action was taken by
either government TO control the
foods IN their respective countries
that approximately 60% came 70
che American side and the remain
inc 40T TO the Mexican side.
CD C-onservations Of the waters
Of the Rio Grande and It's tribut-
aries;
4) The equitable division Of the
waters and the proper use thereof;
sd Prevention Of pollution OF tins
waters Of the Rio Grande. this be-
ing necessary because the popula-
ton along its banks are using IL
for household purposes:
(6) Channel rectification so that
the boundary between the two coun-
tries may be more nearly stabilized.
CD The President or other Fed
en-! agency designated by him Is
empowered (a) to construct, OBJ
maintain. and (c) operate, any
works or projects recommended IS
a result OF the assembling OF data
ara investigation on the matters
which may be necessary 70 carry
cut the purposes Of this Act or 70
comply with the terms OF q treaty
or treaties entered into with Mex
ico Under this authorization the
President or agent designated by
him Is authorized and empowered 70
complete. maintain and operate the
flood control system which Is now
under construction In the Lower RIO
Crande Valley
II is estimated that IN addition
70 the ST. 900 90 already expeno-
81 on the flood control that It viii
b.: necessary TO expend an addition
a, s4743 ,001 10 complete the Sys-
tenn. ] am advised that 1t will re-
ruire approximately sl00,000.N an
nuslly TO properly maintain ana
operate the food control system.
This Is q continuing cost which the
Government assumes under the
ferms OF the bill. The expense Of
maintenance Is now being borne by
Hidalgo and Cameron counties, and
Of course, Is being paid by tax levy.
The state Department mas re-
aug sted the National Emergency
Council 70 allocate the ~s4,743,000 in
which request I have joined ana
which we are very hopeful OF Sc
curing.
From the data and information
already gathered by the joint COM
mission OF the two countries, / am
advised that in order TO properly
control the floods, conserve and reg
ulate the flow CT the river IL will
be necessary to construct a series OF
dams on the Rio Grande: one 70 be
located a short ways above Roma IN
starr County at a cost CT approx
mateIy s6,O 100000: the second dam
10 be constructed a short distance
above Laredo at q cost OF approx
mately $4,000, 10000. I am informed
bv the engineers that these two dams
will fer the present impound q suf-
ficient quantity Of water as viii elm
mate the possibility Of a water short
age on either side Of the river and 10
a great extent regulate the flood wa
ters. Also ] am advised that II IS
feasible to construct o power plant
Az the dam near Roma that can gen.
crate sufficient power TO serve the
various pumping plants down the
river. That while It would not be q
commercial project because OF the
varying release Of the water from
the dam TO serve the irrigation needs,
IL will be feasible &c generate power
for the pumping plants thus great
" reducing the cost OF pumping.
After much additional ~irrigation
HAS been developed on both sides Of