North American Water and Power Alliance
Encyclopedia
The North American Water and Power Alliance (NAWPA or NAWAPA, also referred to as NAWAPTA from proposed governing body the North American Water and Power Treaty Authority) was conceived in the 1950s by the US Army Corps of Engineers as a 'Great Project' to develop more water sources for the United States. The planners envisioned diverting water from some rivers in Alaska
south through Canada
via the Rocky Mountain Trench
and other routes to the US and would involve 369 separate construction projects. The water would enter the US in northern Montana
. There it would be diverted to the headwaters of rivers like the Colorado River
and others. The water would generate hydro-electricity during its trip via dams. The water supply would double the total amount of fresh water available to lower 48 states with its major focus being on the western states. This would solve the water shortage problems of the west for the foreseeable future. The amount of water available would in fact be so great that some water would be left over for use by Mexico
via the Colorado River (which now runs dry as it enters Mexico).
The Corps of Engineers has studied this project and in the late 1950s and early 1960s this project was very close to realization. Washington State Senator "Scoop" Jackson was a significant sponsor and believer in this project.
The project was opposed by public sentiment in Canada on the rare occasions it surfaced in print, though Canadian financier Simon Reisman
, who negotiated the Free Trade Agreement
, the precursor to the North American Free Trade Agreement
, was one of its backers and main promoters. Nonetheless, the Canadian position on free trade exempted water exports, in part specifically to pre-empt any attempted completion of Reisman's long-time pet project.
Recently, there has been a resurgence in the effort to implement NAWAPA, headed up by Lyndon LaRouche and his LaRouchePAC.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
south through Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
via the Rocky Mountain Trench
Rocky Mountain Trench
The Rocky Mountain Trench, or the Trench or The Valley of a Thousand Peaks, is a large valley in the northern part of the Rocky Mountains. It is both visually and cartographically a striking physiographic feature extending approximately from Flathead Lake, Montana, to the Liard River, just south...
and other routes to the US and would involve 369 separate construction projects. The water would enter the US in northern Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. There it would be diverted to the headwaters of rivers like the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
and others. The water would generate hydro-electricity during its trip via dams. The water supply would double the total amount of fresh water available to lower 48 states with its major focus being on the western states. This would solve the water shortage problems of the west for the foreseeable future. The amount of water available would in fact be so great that some water would be left over for use by Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
via the Colorado River (which now runs dry as it enters Mexico).
The Corps of Engineers has studied this project and in the late 1950s and early 1960s this project was very close to realization. Washington State Senator "Scoop" Jackson was a significant sponsor and believer in this project.
The project was opposed by public sentiment in Canada on the rare occasions it surfaced in print, though Canadian financier Simon Reisman
Simon Reisman
Sol Simon Reisman, was a Canadian civil servant, and the country's chief negotiator for the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement....
, who negotiated the Free Trade Agreement
Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement
The Free Trade Agreement was a trade agreement signed by Canada and the United States on October 4, 1988. The agreement, finalized by October 1987, removed several trade restrictions in stages over a ten year period, and resulted in a great increase in cross-border trade...
, the precursor to the North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
, was one of its backers and main promoters. Nonetheless, the Canadian position on free trade exempted water exports, in part specifically to pre-empt any attempted completion of Reisman's long-time pet project.
Recently, there has been a resurgence in the effort to implement NAWAPA, headed up by Lyndon LaRouche and his LaRouchePAC.
See also
- Boundary Waters Commission
- International Joint CommissionInternational Joint CommissionThe International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:...
- Columbia River TreatyColumbia River TreatyThe Columbia River Treaty is an agreement between Canada and the United States of America on the development and operation of dams in the upper Columbia River basin for power and flood control benefits in both countries. For more information about the Columbia River Treaty, visit Columbia Basin...
- North American UnionNorth American UnionThe North American Union is a theoretical economic union, in some instances also a political union, of Canada, Mexico, and the United States...
- Cadillac DesertCadillac DesertCadillac Desert, by Marc Reisner, is a 1986 book published by Viking about land development and water policy in the western United States. Subtitled The American West and its Disappearing Water, it gives the history of the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and their struggle...