U.S. and Mexico reach water obligation agreement

Mexico was in violation of the 1944 Water Treaty

Farmers reliant on the Rio Grande River for water will have more of it available.

On Dec. 12, the U.S. and Mexico announced the two countries reached an understanding that will see Mexico fulfill its water obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty.

“Farmers across South Texas have been reeling from the uncertainty caused by the lack of water. Now they can expect the resources promised to them, thanks to President Trump’s leadership. I thank Mexico for their willingness to abide by the treaty and return to good standing with their past obligations,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.

The 81-year-old treaty covers water from the Colorado, Tijuana, and Rio Grande River.

As part of the agreement, Mexico must provide the U.S. 1.75 million acre-feet of water from the Rio Grande over five-year intervals, or about 350,000 acre-feet annually.

And the U.S. provides Mexico with 1.5 million acre-feet from the Colorado River annually.

An acre-foot of water is the amount of water covering one acre to a depth of one foot and equals about 326,000 gallons of water.

Therefore, 1 million acre-feet of water equals around 326 billion gallons.

That’s enough to fill more than 492,000 Olympic swimming pools.

But Mexico has fallen short on its obligations.

The last five-year cycle ended in October with Mexico owing about 800,000 acre-feet of water, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office says.

Drought in the northern part of Mexico has played a part in the shortfall.

Earlier this year scientists warned that Mexico could be short of its water obligations.

"Unless there is a hurricane to fill up international reservoirs, Mexico will be unable to comply with approximately 1000 million cubic metres in the next three months," Rosario Sanchez, a senior research scientist for the Texas Water Resources Institute at Texas A&M, told TRT World in August. "More permanent drought conditions in the Rio Grande Basin, increase in water demand by both sides, and reduced water availability in the river has contributed to the problem.”

And when farmers don’t have the necessary resources, crops suffer.

A study from Texas A&M estimated losses in the Rio Grande Valley at almost $1 billion in 2023.

The work by the U.S. and Mexico will see Mexico release a large volume of water this week.

Mexico will provide the U.S. with 202,000 acre-feet of water beginning Dec. 15, the USDA says, adding the two sides are working to finalize a complete repayment plan by the end of January 2026.

And if Mexico continues to violate the water treaty, the U.S. will impose a 5 percent tariff on Mexican products, Secretary Rollins said.