Dr. Christopher Brown Dr. Jose Luis Castro Ms. Nancy Lowery Dr. Richard Wright

1. Comparative Analysis of Trans-border Water Management Strategies: Case Studieson the U.S.-Mexico Border Dr. Christopher Brown Dr. Jose Luis Castro Ms. Nancy Lowery Dr. Richard Wright 2002 SCERP Border Institute IV 6-8 May 2002 - Rio Rico, Arizona

2. Major insights from regional analyses • Major structural differences and changes face both sides of the border. • Major asymmetries exist along and across the border. • Innovations towards cross-border synergies should be enhanced. • Watershed–based research provides important regional context for the above.

3. Major structural issues • U.S. and Mexican political, social, and institutional structures are very different. • Within U.S., BECC/NADBank restructuring & mandate expansion induce uncertainty. • Within Mexico, reality of decentralization may not always match theory and promise. • Structures are not only different, but also changing as result of political changes.

4. Issues of asymmetries • Asymmetries of resource, institutional capacity, and openness exist along/across the border: • Evidence = USEPA Brownsville border office. • Ability of smaller cities to enter the discourse is greatly limited on both sides of border. • Innovative attempts to redress asymmetries are key to effective management of water resources.

5. Role of synergies and cooperation • Research indicates the success that innovations across and along the border can have. • True and effective cooperation across sectors with information exchange and openness is crucial. • Recent experiences with post-NAFTA institutions and institutional climate have been somewhat positive.

6. Models of synergies & cooperation • Larger governmental institutions and universities can provide leadership and funding. • Teams of consultants and binational technical advisory committees are useful models. • Borrowing ideas from successes in specific regions for use elsewhere can offer useful insight.

9. Potential for borrowed successes • Insights of Tijuana/San Diego experience: • Role of Border Liaison Mechanism, SANDAG and Counels General • Driving regional efforts towards cooperative development of infrastructure • Effort came from region, not D.C. or D.F. • Innovative university efforts towards cooperation and synergies • COLEF/SDSU Tijuana Watershed Project • SDSU/UABC/CESPT water quality monitoring project • 2002 SCERP paper hopes to build on these successes

12. Potential for borrowed successes • Ambos Nogales region sees different model towards regional cooperation. • Situation reflects wide acceptance of surface and ground water connectivity. • Potential for regional cooperation across the border exists. • Potential actively supported and advanced by IBWC/CILA Minute 294 and Facilities Planning Program.

15. Potential for borrowed successes • Paso del Norte region sees other models as products of resolving regional conflict: • New Mexico Texas Water Commission evolved from slow moving court cases. • Paso del Norte Water Task Force evolves with parity across region, nation, and sector. • Rio Grande-Rio Bravo Basin Coalition offers non-governmental success based on watershed-based perspective.

16. The role of watershed • Watershed-based approaches are well supported in Border XXI document. • Each case study sees positive role of watershed as regional perspective. • Watershed approaches can be argued as mechanism for future steps towards innovation and synergies. • Open question – how to build on past successes in new regions via this view?