In mid-December, the U.S. and Mexico reached an agreement for Mexico to meet its water treaty obligations as required under the 1944 Water Treaty and repay the water deficit in Texas. The agreement extends to the current cycle as well as the previous cycle’s water deficit.
“Farmers across South Texas have been reeling from the uncertainty caused by the lack of water,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a statement. “I thank Mexico for their willingness to abide by the treaty and return to good standing with their past obligations. Mexico has delivered more water in the last year than in the previous four years combined.”
As a result of the new agreement, Mexico agreed to release 202,000 acre-feet (an acre-foot is approximately 326,000 gallons) of water, with deliveries beginning the week of Dec. 15. The country will also plan to repay its deficit from the previous water cycle. The U.S. and Mexico are in negotiations to finalize a plan by the end of January.
Under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico has an obligation to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water from the Rio Grande River Basin over a five-year cycle, at an average of 350,000 acre-feet annually for that cycle. In return, the U.S. provides 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River.
In recent years, Mexico has fallen behind on its commitments due to drought conditions and management issues. The last water cycle under the treaty closed on Oct. 24, with Mexico in a deficit of about 800,000 acre-feet of water, according to preliminary data from the International Boundary and Water Commission.
“Mexico’s persistent shortfalls in deliveries have led to severe water shortages for Rio Grande Valley farmers and ranchers, devastating crops, costing jobs and threatening the local economy,” USDA said in a news release.
In March, the U.S. for the first time rejected Mexico’s request for a non-treaty water delivery from the Colorado River to Tijuana, citing the country’s water delivery shortfalls.
Agreement feedback
A few days before the agreement was announced, President Donald Trump slammed Mexico in a Truth Social post, threatening a 5% tariff on the country if water deliveries were not immediately made.
“The longer Mexico takes to release the water, the more our Farmers are hurt,” Trump wrote. “Mexico has an obligation to FIX THIS NOW. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The government of Mexico emphasized that it has not violated any of the treaty provisions, and that the country has made additional deliveries in accordance with the treaty, water availability and the operational and infrastructure limitations of the region.
“The actions taken over the past year demonstrate that Mexico is meeting its obligations according to current water availability, without affecting the human right to water and food production, and will continue to do so under the Treaty and through binational cooperation,” the country said in a statement translated from Spanish.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said that producers in the Rio Grande Basin have been shorted water for years, causing the loss of crops, jobs and industries. He continued that while Mexico’s willingness to come to the table speaks volumes, sustained accountability will be necessary.
“Let me be clear: Texas farmers expect Mexico to fully meet its obligations—not just today, but for years to come,” Miller said in a statement. “Water is the lifeblood of agriculture.”
Mexico expressed its willingness to work with the U.S. “without affecting the interests of its people and the nation” and to ensure mutually beneficial implementation under Treaty commitments. — Anna Miller Fortozo, WLJ managing editor
