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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summit information online http://www.ibwc.state.gov/html/rg_summit.html Background Document Includes links to related material Treaty framework, interstate compacts Past conferences and reports Environmental studies Water management, water rights Speaker presentations

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