Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102

§277d–26 Lower Colorado River Emergency Flood Control Works; Agreements with Mexico for Joint Construction, Operation and Maintenance

Title 22 › CHAPTER 7 — INTERNATIONAL BUREAUS, CONGRESSES, ETC. › SUBCHAPTER IV — INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION › § 277d–26

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of State, through the U.S. Commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission, can make agreements with Mexican officials to carry out emergency flood control work on the lower Colorado River between Imperial Dam and the Gulf of California in both countries. These deals can cover clearing trees and brush from the river, removing silt and sediment, and taking steps to prevent new sediment build-up caused by desilting at diversion dams. If an agreement would include building or running works on the Colorado River in the United States that fall under the Secretary of the Interior’s control, it must get the Secretary of the Interior’s approval first. These actions are meant to control floods under article 13 of the 1944 Water Treaty with Mexico and follow the Memorandum of Understanding dated February 14, 1945.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §277d–26

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary of State, acting through the United States Commissioner, International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, is authorized to conclude, with the appropriate official or officials of the Government of Mexico, agreements for emergency flood control measures of international character in the reaches of the lower Colorado River between Imperial Dam and the Gulf of California, in both the United States and Mexico, such agreements to provide: (a) for the joint clearing and maintaining free of trees and brush the bed and banks of the channel; for removing sediment deposits from the river channel; and (b) for corrective actions to guard against sedimentation and consequent aggradation of the river channel incident to desilting operations at diversion dams in the two countries: Provided, That, prior approval of the Secretary of the Interior is required of any proposed agreement with Mexico under clause (b) of this section which would involve construction and/or operation of works on the Colorado River in the United States under the jurisdiction of the Secretary. The measures contemplated herein are for the purpose of controlling floods on the lower Colorado River in accordance with article 13 of the 1944 Water Treaty with Mexico, and accomplishment thereof by the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States Section, would be in accord with the Memorandum of Understanding “as to Functions and Jurisdiction of Agencies of the United States in Relation to the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and the Rio Grande Below Fort Quitman, Texas, Under Water Treaty Signed at Washington, February 3, 1944,” between the Department of State and the United States Section, International Boundary and Water Commission and the Department of the Interior dated February 14, 1945.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 277d–26

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102