Water Treaties & Framework

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Colorado River Storage Project

Integrated river basin management focuses on the conservation and development of the river's basin to maximise socio-economic potential and preserve the ecosystem. Colorado developed the following plan with this in mind:

Background

The Colorado River is 233 km long with 97% of it flowing through the USA and the rest through Mexico.
Levels of precipitation vary across the Colorado River basin, which starts in the Rocky Mountains and flows through semi-arid areas to the Gulf of California in Mexico.
The increase in population, urbanisation and agricultural demands put pressure on the river as a water source.
Climate change has resulted in lower precipitation and areas of drought across the Colorado River basin, which adds further pressure.

Colorado River management

In 1956, the Colorado River Storage Project was established to develop regulation of the Colorado River between the states, for irrigation development and HEP production. There are now 29 dams along the course of the river.
In 1990, the states in the lower course of the Colorado River used their full allocation for the first time.

Resource pressure

Despite the project providing hydroelectric power, flood control and water storage, so far there have been no methods that can sustainably remove all the water needed from the Colorado River.
Individual states are looking for alternative solutions and sources.
Nevada is negotiating for extra water allocation (particularly for the heavily water-consuming Las Vegas). Talks have started but solutions have not been met.

UNECE Water Convention, Helsinki

In 1992, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) held the Water Convention in Helsinki. The Water Convention was adopted in 1992 and entered into force in 1996.

Helsinki Water Convention: aim

The aim of the Helsinki Water Convention was to improve and protect water quality and quantity in a sustainable manner, whilst resolving and improving co-operation for trans-boundary water resource issues.

Helsinki Water Convention: result

As a result of the Water Convention, the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach was established.
The IWRM determines what water resources are essential for the ecosystem and what resources are required for efficient social-economic development.
The IWRM is an alternative to top-down, sector-by-sector management that has a holistic approach.

The Berlin Rules on Water Resources

The Berlin Rules on Water Resources is a document from 2004 that summarises the international law applied to freshwater resources.

The Berlin Rules

In August 2004 the International Law Association (ILA) approved the Berlin Rules on Water Resources.
The Berlin Rules state how freshwater resources should be shared, whether nationally or internationally and adopts nine water management principles.