New Water Commissioner Named

The Secretary of Foreign Relations (SRE) has named Roberto Fernando Salmón Castelo to become the Mexican Commissioner to the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC/CILA). Mr. Salmón until a few days ago served as the head of the National Water Commission of Mexico, the highest national authority in water management. The U.S. Commissioner has offices in El Paso and the Mexican Commissioner has offices in Cd. Juarez.

Luis Antonio Rascon has been serving as interim commissioner since the untimely death last fall of Arturo Herrera, who died in a plane crash with his U.S. counterpart, Carlos Marin, while flying over flooded areas near Ojinaga, Mexico. On the U.S. side President Bush last November named Bill Ruth to replace Carlos Marin.

Formed in the late nineteenth century, the IBWC is the oldest binational institution on the U.S.-Mexico border. It's charge is to manage binational water issues along the border and to enforce the Water Treaty of February 3, 1944.