Posted on 01/27/2004 7:57:17 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
Mexico delivered enough water to Rio Grande reservoirs this month to fulfill its entire annual obligation to the United States under a 1944 treaty, but remains uncommitted to paying the almost 1.4 million acre-feet of water it still owes.
Mexico has released 383,554 acre-feet of water since the current accounting period began Oct. 1, said Sally Spener, a spokeswoman with the International Boundary and Water Commission.
The most recent delivery, a substantial 200,000 acre-feet, was made Jan. 16, three days after President Bush visited with Mexican President Vicente Fox at the Summit of the Americas in Monterrey, Mexico. The payment ensures lower Rio Grande Valley farmers will get the water they need for this year's planting season.
The total released since Oct. 1 is more than the 350,000 acre-feet required annually. Left unresolved is how the additional 33,554 acre-feet will be tabulated in this year's ledger books and how the United States will treat additional water releases that Mexico makes this year.
An acre-foot of water is equal to 325,851 gallons — enough water to fill one acre, 1-foot deep.
Valley producers and Texas officials argue that recent water payments do not reduce Mexico's overall water debt. They want federal officials in Washington to press Mexico for more.
Mexican Embassy spokesman Miguel Monterrubio declined to say if the extra water was his country's attempt to pay off its longstanding debt. He said only that Mexico was complying with the treaty's requirements, and has been since Fox took office in 2000.
"This is the third consecutive year Mexico has fulfilled its annual obligations under the treaty," Monterrubio said.
Accounting for the extra water has become a diplomatic conundrum, said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs.
"We're getting pretty irritated," she said of Mexico's unwillingness to make a long-term commitment. "If they are ever going to make a payment on the debt, this is the year to do it."
Mexico, blaming extreme drought conditions, fell into arrears with the United States during the five-year cycle ending in 1997, accumulating a debt of more than 1 million acre-feet of water.
From 1997 to 2000, the debt grew to more than 1.5 million acre-feet, but has lessened in recent years as Mexico's annual releases totaled more than its annual obligation.
Combs said she would like to see the water already released since Oct. 1 allocated to Mexico's debt, rather than its annual obligation.
"I'd be happy" with that, she said, noting that Mexico would have until the end of September to pay what it owes this year.
If Mexico agrees to do that, the water already received would reduce Mexico's overall debt to 992,860 acre-feet, Spener said.
Jo Jo White, manager of the Mercedes irrigation district, said Mexico has to do more than simply stay current with its treaty obligations.
"It did nothing to reduce the deficit," White said. "Obviously, we're appreciative to get this transfer and for having them come up early this year to meet its 350,000 acre-foot minimum. Yet, at the same time, we definitely expect them to make substantial water transfers this year.
"Our eyes now are on Washington," White said. "This year, Mexico has water, so is Washington going to play hardball or not?"
Carlos Rubenstein, Rio Grande watermaster, said an abundance of rainfall in October helped replenish water reservoirs on both sides of the Rio Grande.
He said Mexico's additional water deliveries helped the Amistad and Falcon reservoirs attain their highest levels for January since 1995.
Mexico and the United States share water from those reservoirs, which were at 57 percent of capacity as of Jan. 10.
At this time last year, they were at 35 percent capacity.
"That's a fortunate position to be in," Rubenstein said.
But he said that in order for Rio Grande Valley farmers to receive all the water they are entitled to, the reservoirs need to be at 65 percent capacity.
If Mexico were to release enough water from reservoirs on its inland tributaries to pay off its debt, the reservoirs would be at 87 percent capacity, he said.
"We're better off, but we're not full," Rubenstein said.
----jzarazua@express-news.net
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