International Leadership Visitor Program visits Elephant Butte Dam.
Lower Mekong Initiative Cross-Cultural Water Resource Tour Comes to the Borderland By Karen Ray
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n the eve of southern New Mexico’s monsoon season, members of the International Leadership Visitor Program (IVLP), sponsored by the U. S. Department of State, spent the day with Elephant Butte Irrigation District (EBID) Treasurer/Manager Gary Esslinger and other water professionals learning about irrigation, agriculture, and environmental and water law practices. The IVLP works with individuals nominated by embassies around the world who participate in professional exchanges to the United States. The theme of this tour was the Lower Mekong Initiative: Cross-Border Water Resource Management. The Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) serves as a multinational partnership effort initiated by the United States, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam in 2009 to promote and to foster integrated sub-regional cooperation and capacity building in the Mekong sub-region. Mr. Esslinger said, “They were interested in the fact
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that the federal government was not as involved in how we administer water in our area. The U.S. government built our system, but farmers paid it off; this was unheard of.” Also unheard of was Mexico’s million dollar repayment contribution in return for the 1906 water delivery treaty. The participants saw a variety of crops grown and practices that are much different from theirs. They were fascinated by the pecan orchards—a new nut to them—and they were amazed to see field workers harvesting onions. “Does the government hire those people?” one visitor asked. Mr. Esslinger replied, “No, the farmer does.” An Albuquerque-based nonprofit, Global Ties ABQ, facilitated the tour. Spokesperson Destiny Logan explained the organization’s goal to create connections between visitors and New Mexicans. “This group’s objective was to talk about water sharing for multiple purposes because in that region, they are reliant on one river—the Mekong.” IRRIGATION LEADER
