Watershed Protection Plan - Lower Rio Grande Valley Development ...

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
the water resources of the United States. Locally,
the WRD provides routine monitoring of surface- and
groundwater resources, collects site-specifi c data
and conducts hydrologic investigations for federal,
state and local agencies. These investigations provide
valuable information to managers for decision-making.
WRD also provides data for water-resource modeling
and information related to land-surface subsidence,
fl ood-warning systems, freshwater infl ows, water and
sediment quality and coastal ecology. Through the
USGS Cooperative Funding Agreement program, the
USGS is able to provide matching funds for scientifi c
studies, create local partnerships and provide real-time
information available on the Internet .
fl ood conveyance. The State of Texas granted and
conveyed to the United States of America the perpetual
right and easement to enter and reenter in and upon
the beds and banks of the Arroyo Colorado in Hidalgo
County, Cameron County and Willacy County to
facilitate the acquisition, operation and maintenance
of the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project. The
State of Texas, however, retains concurrent jurisdiction
with the IBWC over the lands included in the granted
easement and did not relinquish any rights that the
State of Texas or its citizens or owners of property had
to the waters of the Arroyo Colorado and in the use of
or access to those waters.
Structures or projects built on the levees or within the
Arroyo Colorado fl oodway require a license or permit
from the IBWC. Agricultural production is permitted
in the fl oodway, however there are restrictions on
the types of crops. The IBWC levee easements end
downstream of FM 800 near Palm Valley, although the
IBWC still manages the stream channel downstream to
the Laguna Madre.
USGS Technician filtering water sample
U.S. International Boundary and Water
Commission (IBWC)
Established in 1889, the International Boundary
and Water Commission (IBWC) is responsible for
applying the boundary and water treaties between the
United States and Mexico and resolving differences
on issues covered by the treaties. The IBWC is an
international body composed of the United States
Section and the Mexican Section, each headed by
an Engineer-Commissioner appointed by his/her
respective president. The United States Section of
the International Boundary and Water Commission
(USIBWC) is headquartered in El Paso, Texas .
The United States International Boundary and Water
Commission (IBWC) maintains perpetual levee and
fl oodway easements or rights of way along the Arroyo
Colorado to manage the stream for fl ood control and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
NOAA Fisheries is a division of the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA
Fisheries works to restore and maintain sustainable
fi sheries, promote the recovery of protected species
and protect and maintain the health of coastal marine
habitats. The agency conducts research to restore and
create fi sh habitat, reviews coastal development and
water projects that may alter or destroy habitat, and
recommends measures to offset development and use
impacts. NOAA works to achieve its goals by its own
actions in cooperation with other resource protection
agencies, conservation organizations and local
communities, and by sponsoring national programs
such as the Coastal Management Program and
Community-Based Restoration Program .
Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan 66 January 2007