John Doolittle: “the Colorado River Compact negotiated in 1992 by all seven Basin States, divided the river into two basins, the Upper…”

“the Colorado River Compact negotiated in 1992 by all seven Basin States, divided the river into two basins, the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin, with each basin receiving the right to develop and use in perpetuity 7.5 million acre-feet annually from the Colorado River system, although not all States are currently using their full apportionment. In addition, the 1994 Mexican Water Treaty committed 1.5 million acre-feet of water annually to users in Mexico. The quality of that water is also prescribed by the treaty. The quantity and quality of water to be delivered to Mexico are our obligation, and the cost is not to be borne by the seven Basin States. In addition to United States-Mexican Treaty obligations, water users in the Lower Basin are concerned about the higher salinity of the Colorado River water they receive, because it reduces their ability to reclaim the water for reuse. The more saline the water is originally, the more it costs to treat it for reuse. To address the salinity problem, the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act was enacted in 1974.”