U.S.-Mexico to Discuss Colorado River Issues

Mexico and the United States recently agreed to meet to discuss Colorado River concerns. On the agenda will be issues relating to the two nations sharing the river during drought when competition greatly increases for its diminished flow.

In a joint U.S.-Mexico statement, U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said talks would focus on the effects of climate change and drought; the two countries’ urban, agricultural and environmental water needs; wildlife habitat in the Colorado River Delta; and augmentation strategies such as sea water desalination
The Aug. 13 statement said existing treaties will expedite planning to enable discussions to occur in the coming weeks. No specific dates have been set. The talks will involve the Bureau of Reclamation and the International Boundary and Water Commission.

An uncertain note in drought planning among Colorado River Basins states has been Mexico’s role in such plans. Per a 1944 treaty, Mexico is to get annually 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water or 11 percent of the river’s recent annual average flow. The delivery of this same amount during drought would place a greater burden on the states, especially Arizona and Nevada that stand to lose the most water during drought.

“The issues facing the Colorado River basin are complex, and increasing our dialogue with Mexico will make the path to resolving them much easier,” Kempthorne said in a news release.

The issues are indeed complex and interconnected as was demonstrated when the United States decided to line the All American Canal that carries more than 3 million acre-feet of Colorado River water a year from Morelos Dam to Imperial County. Objections were raised by environmentalists and Mexican interests that seepage from the canal was a vital water source for the Mexicali Valley aquifer south of the border.
The lining of the canal, however, is part of California’s strategy to comply with a multi-state water pact that commits the state to cut back its use of Colorado River water to its allocated of 4.4 million acre-feet. Imperial County’s 3.1 acre feet is a large portion of that allocation.

Tucson Voters Confront Broad WaterInitiative

Tucson citizens will be voting on an initiative that if passed will give them a significant say in the making of city water policy. Called the Tucson Water Users’ Bill of Rights, the initiative has been approved for the November ballot after the required 11,615 valid signatures were collected and verified.

It is multifaceted initiative taking on various issues. Its most controversial item is a limit on water connections to go into effect once Tucson Water delivers 140,000 acre feet of water a year. Initiative organizers say this is in response to the continued construction occurring despite the ongoing drought. The limitation would essentially result in a moratorium on construction in the area. In 2006, the utility delivered 125,000 acre feet.
Voters also will get to decide on another highly charged issue: the use of effluent or other kinds of reclaimed water as potable water supplies. This has been derisively labeled the toilet-to-tap controversy. The initiative would not allow Tucson Water to use such resources in city drinking water. Water officials had publicly discussed the possibility of using effluent to boost future water supplies.

Also the initiative targets the city’s $14 monthly garbage collection levy which is
tacked on to water bills. The initiative would forbid this and other fees from being included as part of the water billing. Also the initiative would require developers to pay the full cost of Tucson Water system expansion. Not allowing the utility to enter into supply agreements outside its service area is a further initiative restriction.

Water officials fret that the initiative would limit Tucson Water’s options in planing and managing the city’s water supplies. Some critics of the initiative question its legality saying that it covers too many issues. Questions also have been raised about the legality of it setting building limits which is the perogative of state law.

Sonoran Institute’s Santa Cruz Watershed Work Funded

The Sonoran Institute of Tucson was one of 16 organizations selected nationwide as finalists in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Targeted Watersheds Grants Program. The Institute’s Santa Cruz River Civic-Science Conservation Initiative is eligible for up to $800,000 to supplement $377,500 from state and local government. Funds will support three components of the Santa Cruz watershed program — restoration, monitoring, and policy — culminating with the creation of a coordinated watershed-wide river conservation steering committee and a State of the Santa Cruz River report. EPA initiated the Targeted Watersheds Grants Program in 2002 to encourage successful community-based approaches to protect and restore the nation’s watersheds.

Mines Look to Make Water Deals

Many Wary of Mining Firm’s Offer to Pay to Extend
CAP Pipeline

Many Green Valley and Sahuarita residents are wary of a plan to build a seven-mile pipeline to deliver Central Arizona Project water to their communities. On the plus side, the pipeline appears to be water manager’s dream come true, an answer to the groundwater overdraft problem that is causing the area’s water table to drop about two feet per year.

On the other side, some are wary that Augusta Resource, a Canadian firm seeking approval for a mile-wide open-pit copper mine in the Santa Rita Mountains, would pay for the pipeline. They strongly suspect that the pipeline, costing between $9 million and $15 million, is part of a strategy to win approval for the mine.
Discussions have been underway for a while, with Augusta officials having negotiated a letter of intent with Community Water Co. of Green Valley to construct the 20-inch pipeline extending from the end of the CAP canal south of Tucson to Sahuarita. The two parties have set a 120-day deadline beginning July 13 to “form a definite agreement.” Most would agree that the pipeline would greatly benefit the communities. Extending CAP delivery beyond its current terminus to the Green Valley area would provide Community Water access to its 2,858 CAP allocation that has hitherto been out of its reach. Such a pipeline has long been on the area’s wish list.

Also the pipeline could be used to compensate the area for any water loss if the mine is approved and built. Its operation over 15 years would require about 100,000 acre-feet which would be drawn from the aquifer beneath Green Valley. The pipeline would deliver about 7000 acre-feet annually or 105,000 acre feet over 15 years, a net gain of 5,000 acre feet. This would help build a needed sustainable water supply in the area.
If the mine operates without the pipeline Augusta would recharge water in the Marana area, rather than at the Green Valley point of extraction. Darkly clouding discussions about the pipeline is the mine. Augusta’s mine would be located in a scenic and ecologically sensitive area on the eastern slopes of the Santa Rita Mountains, on public and private land in the vicinity of the Rosemont Ranch. The mine is a highly controversial issue, sparking strong opposition from residents and public officials, with both the county Board of Supervisors and the Sahuarita Town Council passing resolutions in opposition to the mine.
Many have trouble warming to the pipeline project, saying it is too good to be true that a no-strings-attached offer would be made to provide water to the communities by a corporation seeking approval to build a mine in the area.

Augusta officials, however, say their motives are pure, their proposal prompted merely by the desire to act as a good corporate citizen. Community Water Company President Arturo Gabaldon has assured the public that Augusta Resource would pay for the pipeline whether or not the mine is built, that it is willing to sign a binding agreement even before the mine is approved.

Bill Allows Mining Company to Swap Wetland for Mine

U.S. Sens. Jon Kyle and John McCain believe cooperating with a mining company can result in a payoff to the state. The Senators have introduced legislation to allow a new copper mine to be developed on federal land outside Superior. In exchange for the 3,025 acres that the bill allots to Resolution Copper, the mining company would provide the government seven parcels totaling 4,583 acres of environmentally sensitive land in various areas of the state.

The mining company would gain land over a large mineral deposit while the land acquired by the government would include wetland habitat along the San Pedro River. The company also would contribute $7.5 million to a trust account to enable the government to purchase more Arizona conservation land.
Similar bills introduced the last two years failed to pass.

U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, D-Phoenix is considering sponsoring a House version of the bill.