1. Presenter: Sally Spener
Acting Secretary
U.S. Section, International Boundary and Water Commission

2. November 17-18, 2005
McAllen, TX – Reynosa, Tamps.
200 participants from both countries

3. Sponsored by the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico
Minute 307(2001): Animated by the spirit of friendship, the two countries will work jointly to identify measures of cooperation on drought management and sustainable management of this basin.

4. Minute 308 (2002): Desire of both Governments to convene a binational summit meeting of experts and water users to provide information concerning sustainable management of the Rio Grande Basin. Taking the recommendations of the summit into account, the two Governments will consider a binational sustainable management plan for the basin.

5. Minute 308: To strengthen the Commission’s role in the area of sustainable management of the basin and drought management planning, the IBWC will establish a forum for the exchange of information and advice to the Commission from government and non-government organizations

6. Summit Themes Keynote Speakers Legal and Institutional Aspects
Binational Basin Management
Environment and Water Quality
Financing
Keynote Speakers
Jean Francois Donzier, President, International Network of Basin Organizations
Kathleen White, Chairman, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

7. Objectives
Legal and Institutional – To strengthen institutions and institutional capacity and to improve the implementation of basin management strategies in order to enhance cooperation and coordination within the basin.
Binational Basin Management – To promote water use efficiency by water users, to improve efficiency in water storage and conveyance systems, and use existing mechanisms for water marketing and transfers with the goal of improving sustainable management of the Rio Grande basin.

8. Objectives
Environment and Water Quality – To preserve and improve water quality, riparian habitat, and environmental conditions in the Rio Grande basin.
Financing – To identify projects, estimated costs, and possible financing mechanisms for projects that benefit the sustainable management of the Rio Grande basin.

9. Presentation topics State legislation, laws, responsibilities
Binational jurisdiction, prospects for cooperation
Projected water demand for agricultural and municipal use
Availability of groundwater
Planning and information technologies/modeling
Water rights and marketing
Droughts
Conservation and Re-use

10. Presentation topics Water for the environment Forest management
Biodiversity
Climate change
Invasive Species
Funding needs
Funding sources
Hydrilla below Falcon Dam

11. Recommendations Over 80 speaker recommendations
Over 50 work group recommendations
Many recommendations relate to issues beyond the jurisdiction of IBWC and the federal governments
Some recommendations are very general (i.e., reduce demand)
IBWC working to identify recommendations for follow-up by both governments

12. Themes of work group recommendations
Promote water conservation, fund conservation projects
Clarify treaty, institutional roles and responsibilities
Promote data exchange and information sharing
Promote regional planning
Expand water quality monitoring, reduce contamination
Evaluate and manage for ecosystem needs

13. IBWC as a convener of binational groups to address various challenges in the basin:
Watershed councils
Annual summit
Invasive species
Scientific advisory group
Water scarcity
Planning

14. Next steps IBWC to identify recommendations for follow-up
Publish summit
proceedings
Establish a mechanism to pursue follow-up actions
Potential IBWC minute
Commissioners Herrera (l) and Marin

15. Summit information online
Background Document
Includes links to related material
Treaty framework, interstate compacts
Past conferences and reports
Environmental studies
Water management, water rights
Speaker presentations

16. USIBWC . 4171 N. Mesa . C-100 . El Paso, TX . 79902