The International Boundary and Water Commission Under Fire: Policy Prospective for the 21st Century

Abstract

The venerable International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico, established by the landmark 1944 U.S.-Mexican Water Treaty, has come under fire in the past decade for a range of alleged institutional deficiencies. These deficiencies, ranging from the adequacy of its mandate to its organizational structure and management, are seen as limiting its diplomatic and administrative capacity to promote cooperative solutions to a range of binational water problems including drought, ecological conservation, and planning for sustainable water use and management in the 21st century. This article reviews this recent spate of criticisms and reform recommendations, addressing their feasibility and practicality. It argues that many of these proposals are treaty consistent and have sufficient merit to warrant serious consideration by the two governments.