US-MEXICO COLORADO RIVER AGREEMENT,
TIJUANA WASTEWATER PROJECTS, AND TIJUANA RIVER FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT MAINTENANCE
ON AGENDA FOR FEBRUARY 21 PUBLIC MEETING
The United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) will discuss Minute 319, a US-Mexico Colorado River agreement signed by the Commission in November 2012, at the next meeting of the USIBWC Citizens Forum. The public meeting will take place at 6:00 p.m. on February 21 at the USIBWC office, 2225 Dairy Mart Road, San Diego, CA 92173. Other presentations will cover activities of the State Public Services Commission of Tijuana affecting border wastewater, and efforts to clean up trash and sediment in the Tijuana River Valley.
USIBWC Secretary Sally Spener will give an overview of Minute 319, "Interim International Cooperative Measures in the Colorado River Basin through 2017 and Extension of Minute 318 Cooperative Measures to Address the Continued Effects of the April 2010 Earthquake in the Mexicali Valley, Baja California." The agreement touches on several broad areas of cooperation including sharing of water shortages and surpluses, investment in water conservation projects, water for the environment, and allowing Mexico to continue to store some water in the United States until it completes repairs to irrigation canals damaged during a 2010 earthquake.
The Citizens Forum will also hear from Juan Manuel Tamayo, Deputy Manager of the Water and Sewer Department for the State Public Services Commission of Tijuana (CESPT), who will present an overview of CESPT's structure, mission, and status of existing projects. Of special interest is the current rehabilitation and construction of the parallel force main in the vicinity of the border near Los Laureles Canyon and what it means for wastewater management in the region. Other proposed projects will also be discussed.
In other business, Steve Smullen, USIBWC Area Operations Manager, will provide an update on the status of removal of 60,000 cubic yards of sediment and trash from the Tijuana River Flood Control project. He will also discuss a proposed Commission Minute to manage trash and sediment within the Tijuana River watershed. For the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Commission plant that treats wastewater from Tijuana and discharges treated effluent into the Pacific Ocean in the United States, Mr. Smullen will present progress on two engineering studies currently being conducted at the plant. The first study addresses alternative biosolids stabilization methods, and the second will provide recommendations for operational or structural improvements to eliminate solids washout during high flows.
A complete agenda follows. Members of the public who would like more information may contact the USIBWC San Diego Field Office at 619-662-7600 or sally.spener@ibwc.gov.