Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60

§277d–15 Integration of Operation of Dam with Other United States Water Conservation Activities

Title 22 › Chapter 7— INTERNATIONAL BUREAUS, CONGRESSES, ETC. › Subchapter IV— INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION › § 277d–15

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

If a dam is built under the approved agreement, its operation to store and release the United States' share of Rio Grande water below Fort Quitman, Texas must be coordinated with other U.S. water projects so the most water possible is available for useful U.S. uses. Releases for household, city, industrial, and irrigation uses must follow orders from the proper Texas authority. Texas agreed that water below Falcon Dam after the new dam starts will be at least as much as now. The dam’s storage will be used to keep that promise, and Texas authorities alone must distribute the U.S. share to meet it.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §277d–15

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

If a dam is constructed pursuant to an agreement concluded under the authorization granted by section 277d–13 of this title, its operation for conservation and release of United States share of waters shall be integrated with other United States water conservation activities on the Rio Grande below Fort Quitman, Texas, in such manner as to provide the maximum feasible amount of water for beneficial use in the United States with the understandings that (a) releases of United States share of waters from said dam for domestic, municipal, industrial, and irrigation uses in the United States shall be made pursuant to order by the appropriate authority or authorities of the State of Texas, and (b) the State of Texas having stipulated that the amount of water that will be available for use in the United States below Falcon Dam after the proposed dam is placed in operation will be not less than the amount available under existing conditions of river development, and to carry out such understandings and said stipulation the conservation storage of said dam shall be used, and it shall be the exclusive responsibility of the appropriate authority or authorities of said State to distribute available United States share of waters of the Rio Grande in such manner as will comply with said stipulation.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 277d–15

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60