US and Mexico Deal for Texas Farmers' Water Supply
The Trump administration and Mexican officials have reached an agreement aimed at ensuring Texas farmers receive water from the Rio Grande. This development comes after President Donald Trump accused Mexico of depriving Texan farmers of water guaranteed under a decades-old treaty.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the deal, stating that it addresses the immediate water needs of Texas farmers and ranchers as stipulated in the 1944 Water Treaty. According to the agreement, Mexico will release water from international reservoirs and increase the flow from six of its Rio Grande tributaries to the U.S. before the end of the current five-year water cycle in October.
Rollins hailed the agreement as a significant victory for American agriculture, emphasizing the importance of Mexico's cooperation in supporting Texan producers. The 1944 Water Treaty commits Mexico to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande over five years. In return, the U.S. is obligated to provide 1.5 million acre-feet of water to Mexico from the Colorado River. However, Mexico has occasionally fallen short of its delivery obligations, leading to water shortages in the Rio Grande Valley, which have negatively impacted crops, jobs, and the local economy.
The agreement was reached following threats from Trump to impose tariffs or sanctions on Mexico if it failed to fulfill its water obligations. Trump asserted that Mexico's actions were harming South Texas farmers and pointed to the closure of the last sugar mill in Texas as a consequence of water theft. He also mentioned halting water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico complied with the 1944 Water Treaty.
Texas farm groups had previously expressed concerns about potential disastrous seasons for citrus and sugar crops due to the water dispute. The water shortages, exacerbated by drought, were reported to be the most severe in nearly 30 years. This agreement marks an attempt to resolve these long-standing issues and ensure a more reliable water supply for Texas farmers.
