Colorado River dispute facts for kids

The Colorado River dispute is a long-standing disagreement between the United States and Mexico. It's all about who gets to use the water from the Colorado River and how much of it. This river is super important for both countries, providing water for farms, cities, and nature.

Sharing the Colorado River's Water

The Colorado River flows through seven states in the U.S. and then into Mexico. It's a vital source of water for millions of people and a lot of farmland. Because so many depend on it, sharing its water fairly has been a big challenge.

How the Dispute Started

Back in 1884, the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBaWC) was created. This group helps manage the border and water flow between the U.S. and Mexico.

In 1944, the IBaWC helped create a special agreement between the U.S. and Mexico. This agreement, called the 1944 Treaty, set aside a certain amount of water for Mexico each year from the Rio Grande, Colorado, and Tijuana rivers.

The Water Quality Problem

However, the 1944 Treaty didn't say anything about the quality of the water. This became a big problem in the late 1950s. Cities in the southern U.S. grew very quickly, and they started using a lot more water from the Colorado River.

When the U.S. used more water, the water flowing to Mexico became saltier. This salty water was not good for Mexico's farms. Mexico protested, and new talks began between the two countries.

In 1974, a new agreement was reached. This agreement said that Mexico should receive water of the same quality as the water being used in the United States. This helped ensure Mexico got good quality water for its needs.

Important Laws About the River

Over the years, several important laws and agreements have been made to manage the Colorado River.

• 1922 - The Colorado River Compact: This agreement was signed by the seven U.S. states that share the Colorado River. It divided the river's water into two main parts: an Upper Division and a Lower Division. In 2007, the Compact was updated to help save water, especially during times of drought.
• 1973 - The Endangered Species Act: This law was passed to protect animals and plants that are in danger of disappearing forever. This is important for the Colorado River because many unique species live there.
• 1974 - The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act: This law was created to deal with the problem of salty water and overall water quality in the Colorado River basin.
• 1992 - The Grand Canyon Protection Act: This law recognized how important the Colorado River is for fun activities and nature in Grand Canyon National Park.

California's Water Deal (2002)

In 2002, water groups in Southern California made an agreement. They decided to move millions of gallons of water from the Colorado River. This water was originally used by farmers in the desert. Instead, it would now go to the fast-growing city of San Diego.

Plans to Solve the River Dispute (2003)

By 2003, some water groups in Southern California were still struggling to agree on how to share the Colorado River's water. They started looking at a new idea to solve the main problems.

Government leaders, including Gray Davis, suggested a big plan. They wanted to explore a billion-dollar project to make the Salton Sea smaller and healthier. The Salton Sea is a large, shallow lake in California that gets a lot of farm runoff.

If this plan worked, salty water from farms that usually flowed into the Salton Sea could be cleaned. This cleaned water could then be sent to San Diego County.

The plan also suggested that farmers would pay a small extra fee for every acre-foot of Colorado River water they use over the next 35 years. City users, who use less river water, would pay a slightly higher fee. The money collected would help pay for new natural areas for wildlife and improve air quality around the Salton Sea. It would also help with other issues related to moving water to San Diego.