By Kimberly James; WBAP and KLIF News, Dallas, Texas.
DALLAS – (WBAP/KLIF) – U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn have introduced legislation that would place sanctions on Mexico for failure to deliver water to the Rio Grande as per a 1944 international treaty that allows for and mandates the sharing of water resources between Mexico and the United States. One portion of the treaty deals with American water resources from the Colorado River; the other with Mexico’s water sources from the Rio Conchos in Chihuahua state. It is non-delivery of water from the Rio Conchos to the shared Rio Grande (river) bordering Mexico and the U.S. the Cruz-Cornyn legislation addresses.
The nearly $500 million Texas citrus industry is nearing the brink of collapse as Mexico continues with substantial deficit in delivery of water from Mexico’s Rio Conchos to the Rio Grande bordering both nations. Citrus and other farmers in the Texas Rio Grande Valley warn they will soon be out of business, much like the Texas sugar industry, which closed this year. More than five hundred sugar-related workers were thrown out of work as a result of crops not growing as in years prior with a sufficient amount of water available. Texas growers tell WBAP News the Texas sugar industry is gone forever, with equipment within the industry buildings now being sold.
Without treaty-mandated water available, Texas agriculture will continue to be negatively impacted as initial victims of the treaty irregularities; cities in the Rio Grande Valley will be left with no drinking water if Mexico keeps failing to deliver the full and mandated 350-thousand acre feet per year. Mexico has yet to deliver a year’s worth of water in the latest rounds of required deliveries, although the treaty does have wiggle room for a lack of water due from one year to be delivered the next. Senator Cruz warns the lack of water available to growers and cities is already affecting those in the city of Laredo, which has instituted water conservation measures limiting uses.
Senators Ted Cruz spoke with WBAP News about the legislation introduced by he and Senator John Cornyn. Cruz filed the legislation in May of 2024, to broaden support for American diplomats and officials working to secure Mexico’s compliance with the 1944 Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande. It directs the Secretary of State to work in full support of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), to use all resources to bring Mexico into compliance. Senator Cruz says the legislation includes three prongs:
1/ Prohibiting U.S. AID aid to Mexico’s private sector
2/ Prohibiting the U.S. Trade and Development Agency funds from going to grantees in Mexico
3/ A 15% mandatory cut in foreign assistance from appropriated levels exempting anti-opiod and synthetic drug programs (“as they benefit America as well”)
To demonstrate how dire the lack of water is in the Rio Grande Valley, two reservoirs where water is stored are at record low levels: the Amistad Reservoir is at less than 25% full; the Falcon Reservoir is at a smidge more than 13%
Dale Murden, spokesman for the Texas growers group “Texas Citrus Mutual” says the issues of non-delivery of water have been ongoing for years, but warns the situation is now critical, with “not enough water available to reach many citrus crops…and once we hit that 9 or 10% of reservoir levels, water used for irrigation will be outlawed”. Murden warns farmers, including those in the citrus growing industry must plan and prepare for future years of growth. In part, he says, that includes planting new citrus trees every year – but growers are not planting as such this year because they aren’t sure how trees will be able to survive on only rainfall.
A worsening and severe drought is cutting into this Texas water issue deeply, but, like many areas worldwide, a punishing drought has taken over Mexico; with 22 million Mexico city residents at risk at any time now to see no water at all. Climatologists warn northern Mexico is even worse shape than the Texas RGV with drought issues. Despite this, Senator Cruz says there is sufficient water for Mexico to meet their treaty commitments. In fact, it’s asserted by Senator Cruz and growers trade groups Mexico may be withholding this water to grow its own citrus industry in the state of Chihuahua, but that would come at the loss of the Texas industry; there is not enough water in this drying world to provide resources for both at a sufficient and persistent level, or, per treaty obligation.
Murden asserts the Cruz-Cornyn sanctions proposed against the Mexico failure to deliver could save the Texas citrus industry but Congress will have to move quickly in order to do it. Lawmakers might not have a choice, given water needs of people who live in the Texas Valley cities suffering from the lack of Mexico’s attention to delivering on the treaty it signed in 1944.
The conflict demonstrates another chapter of the growing, already enormous challenges of navigating drought, and shrinking water resources in a hotter, drier world.
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