Lower Rio Grande Citizens Forum, Dec. 5, 2023

The USIBWC Lower Rio Grande Citizens Forum Board held a public meeting on December 5, 2023, at the Mercedes Field Office, Mercedes, Texas.

USIBWC Commissioner Dr. Maria-Elena Giner, P.E., gave an update on the status of the Minute negotiations to bring reliability and predictability to water deliveries in the Rio Grande Basin.

Isela Canava, Principal Engineer, USIBWC Operations Department, provided an overview of the infrastructure the agency owns and operates and its activities along the Rio Grande, from the El Paso area to the Brownsville area. The presentation highlighted international and diversion dams, water accounting activities, and how the USIBWC is advancing through science.

The Rio Grande Hydrology Work Group is developing a binational model to simulate allocation procedures and water distribution in the United States and Mexico. Delbert Humberson explained the model that will be used to analyze the effects of proposed water management scenarios in comparison to practices that are currently in effect.

Press release and presentations: https://www.ibwc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Combo-press-release-updated-12-5-2023.pdf

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O7cDRrzATE

LOWER RIO GRANDE CITIZENS FORUM
Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 3–5 p.m. CST
IBWC Mercedes Field Office
325 Golf Course Road Mercedes, TX 78570

Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions – Leslie Grijalva, Public Affairs Specialist, USIBWC
• Stakeholder Update on Minute Negotiations to Bring Reliability and Predictability to Rio Grande Deliveries – Dr. Maria-Elena Giner, P.E., Commissioner, USIBWC
• Overview of Operations and Maintenance Activities along the Rio Grande – Isela Canava, Principal Engineer, Operations Department, USIBWC
• Using RiverWare to Explore Binational Basin Management Scenarios – Delbert Humberson, Hydrologist, USIBWC
• Public Comment
• Board Discussion and Formal Vote on a Co-Chair
• Suggested Future Agenda Items