Water you mean, we can’t build a fence?

Leave it to Homeland Security to overlook a little thing like a couple of treaties and the fact that a lot of us live along the border:

HARLINGEN, Texas — The planned, much-debated fence along the U.S.-Mexico border designed to keep people from crossing the Rio Grande could exacerbate flooding and skew the national boundary, a binational commission said Wednesday.

An impermeable fence between the river and levees, which can be as far as 1-1/2 miles from the river, could cause flooding in addition to violating a 1970 treaty, said Sally Spener, spokeswoman for the International Boundary and Water Commission….

Russ Knocke, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said the fence could be built in several ways, depending on where it is placed. Some proposed fencing would be impermeable to water.

Um… Mr Knocke? When you’re not trolling the blogsphere for t*rr*rists, you might want to look at Government web sites. They’re quite informative.

Established in 1889, the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) has responsibility for applying the boundary and water treaties between the United States and Mexico and settling differences that may arise in their application.

…The Convention of 1889 creating the International Boundary Commission (IBC), and the 1944 Treaty, which expanded its responsibilities and changed its name to the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC)… The 1944 Treaty further provides that it shall in all respects have the status of an international body… and that wherever Treaty provisions call for joint action or joint agreement by the two Governments such matters shall be handled by or through the Department of State of the United States and the Secretariat of Foreign Relations of Mexico.

Out here in the Big Bend, this is a very important federal agency. You can’t miss the Border Patrol, but the IBWC has been here a lot longer, and is a lot more vital to our existence.

And, the FENCE COALITION is still a very lose mail listing, but hoping to get itself organized shortly. Hopefully, I can get some interest drummed up down my way, when I get the new site going (I’ve got a free ad space reserved for the Fence Coalition, José). Anyone want to help, contact them at: fencecoalition@yahoogroups.com