U.S., Mexico Reach Agreement to Ensure Timely Water Deliveries for Texas Farmers

The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement aimed at improving the latter's water deliveries under a 1944 water treaty with the goal of providing South Texas farmers more consistent access to water after recent periods of extensive droughts.

The bilateral International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) announced the deal on Saturday, citing added flexibility for Mexico in meeting its water delivery obligations by allowing the use of alternative water sources and the transfer of stored water from shared international reservoirs at Amistad and Falcon, as The Texas Tribune reports.

Under the 1944 treaty, Mexico is required to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. over five years from six tributaries that flow into the Rio Grande. In the current cycle, ending in October 2025, Mexico has so far delivered less than a third of this obligation, which has exacerbated water shortages for Texas farmers, who rely on timely water access for crop production.

The agreement also addresses a recent offer by Mexico to deliver 120,000 acre-feet of water, which had previously raised concerns among Texas farmers wary of potential compensatory measures that could affect their own stored water reserves. By allowing Mexico to transfer water from reservoirs, the amendment aims to ease these concerns and support water availability for the next planting season.

As part of the amendment, the IBWC also formalized the Lower Rio Grande Water Quality Initiative to address ongoing water quality issues, including salinity. Additionally, an environmental working group has been established to explore other sources of water in the region to ensure more sustainable water management.

The agreement arrives at a moment in which both countries seemed poised to navigate uncertainty in their bilateral relations, as president-elect Donald Trump has pledged to impose up to 100% tariffs on Mexico and Claudia Sheinbaum, also elected this year, has been cautious around the Republican's victory.