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Baja California governor protests the lining of the All-American Canal while in Washington D.C.

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 26, 2008 at 9:26 am

From the Imperial Valley Press:

Baja California’s governor protested the cement lining of the All-American Canal while in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, according to Mexican news media.

During the Winter National Governor’s Association meeting here this weekend Gov. Jose Guadalupe Osuna Millán reportedly complained that the encasement is negatively impacting agricultural and economic activity in the Mexicali Valley.

Osuna privately met with Department of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on Sunday and discussed “water issues along the U.S.-Mexico border,” confirmed Shane Wolfe, a spokesman for Kempthorne. Details on that discussion were not being released as it is the department’s policy not to publicize details of the secretary’s private discussions with governors.

Mexican and Baja California lawsuits had held up construction of the lining for about year. The cement lining of a 23-mile stretch of the canal is under way to recapture 67,000 acre-feet of water per year that would otherwise seep into the Mexicali Valley. Construction began in July and is expected to be completed before the decade’s end, said Kevin Kelley, spokesman for the Imperial Irrigation District. The IID manages the U.S.-owned canal and is the lead agency in the lining’s construction.

Kelley said Mexican opposition to the canal is expected. “It isn’t surprising because there have been ongoing discussions at diplomatic levels … since the project began,” he said.

Water flows through the unlined All-American Canal from Imperial Dam to the Imperial Valley, and seepage from that canal has replenished the aquifer that sits underneath a productive Mexican agricultural region just across the border. The loss of the seepage will have a direct, negative impact on the agricultural area on the other side.

The Imperial Valley farmers have signed the QSA agreement to transfer water to urban areas, and the lining of the canal and the resultant water savings make up a significant portion of the water being transferred to San Diego.

You can read more about this debate by checking out the All-American Canal category here on Aquafornia. Choose from the list of categories on the right, or click here.

A meeting with Mexican & United States water and diplomatic officials is scheduled for March 11th in Phoenix. Get the rest of the story from the Imperial Valley Press by clicking here.

February 26, 2008 · Filed Under All-American Canal

Comments

One Response to “Baja California governor protests the lining of the All-American Canal while in Washington D.C.”

WaterSource on February 26th, 2008 10:44 am

Strange…The Bureau of Reclamation was offered a NEW water Source of ONE MILLION acre feet to keep Lake Mead reasonably FULL for power generation and designate a small amount to solve the dilemma for Mexicali.

Development of the Source was GUARANTEED not to damage the environment or the water rights of anyone, anywhere.

STRANGE….The Bureau could formulate no way to receive knowledge of the Source and investigate.

STRANGE….CA & NV have also been offered the NEW Source for investigation….but would rather DIE (Deny, Ignore & Evade) than inquire about such a vast natural resource.

STRANGE….Failure to communicate…?

Ray Walker (Retired Water Rights Analyst) waterrdw@yahoo.com

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