US and Mexico at Odds Over Water Deliveries

In the middle of the Rio Grande River, held back  by the Anzalduas Retamal Dam, water is being diverted to Mexico’s main irrigation canal. The diversion is part of an agreement established in 1944 between the U.S. and Mexico that dictates how water from the Rio Grande, Colorado and Tijuana rivers is to be shared between the two countries.

Recently, the two countries have been at odds because of Mexico’s failure to honor those water delivery mandates that help provide water to U.S. farmers in South Texas. Tensions reached a boiling point last month as President Trump used the threat of increased tariffs to force Mexico to start delivering water to rights holders in the United States.

Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico: "For Texas farmers who are requesting water, there will be an immediate delivery of a certain number of millions of cubic meters (thousands of acre-feet) that can be provided according to the water availability in the Rio Grande."

Wording in what is now known as the Water Treaty of 1944 stipulates Mexico must deliver 350,000 acre feet of water to the United States annually. Over a five year cycle the allotment is 1.75 million acre feet of water. Deliveries are made via two International reservoirs on the Rio Grande River - Amistad and Falcon. After delivery, the state of Texas owns the water and grants usage to an agglomeration of agencies that distribute the precious resource to end users and water rights holders. 

According to data from the International Boundary and Water Commission, the governing body in charge of accounting for the water deliveries, Mexico has fallen short on delivery of promised supplies for the current cycle that ends in October of 2025. At the beginning of May 2025, IBWC data shows Mexico has only delivered just over 600,000 acre feet of water, about 1.15 million acre feet under the amount mandated by the treaty. To meet agreement guidelines, Mexico must deliver an additional 1.15 million acre feet of water by the end of the five year treaty cycle in October of 2025.

The lack of supply directly impacts South Texas Farmers trying to decide how to manage their operations for upcoming growing seasons.

Sid Miller, Commissioner, Texas Department of Agriculture: “They're not paying, paying up. They still owe us over a million acre feet of water./Those farmers down there grow 4 or 5 crops because they pretty much grow year round because of the climate. This year, they they had enough water to grow one, one crop. You can't stay in business doing that. So this, this crucial getting the water treaty fixed with Mexico. So we’ve got a real problem and we need to get on top of that.” 

  In April of this year, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced new water deliveries to meet treaty agreements. However, Sheinbaum points to the absence of rainfall in the Rio Grande River Basin as the reason she is hampered from making good on delivering the water.

Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico: "Technical proposals are being sought that will allow the treaty to be complied with, because what is happening is that there is less water in the Rio Grande, especially because we have experienced almost four years of drought, so there is less water."

In fall of 2024, U.S. and Mexican officials agreed to an amendment to the 1944 treaty allowing Mexico to utilize water from other Mexican tributaries to pay its debt. Some South Texas farmers and irrigation officials are unsure if Mexican officials will make good on the new deal.  Anthony Stambough is the general manager for the Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2 headquartered in San Juan, Texas. His district serves both cities and agriculture in South Texas where roughly 30,000 acres in the Rio Grande Valley receives a portion of the water allotment.

Anthony Stambough, General Manager, Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2: “When it comes to some of the provisions that that Mexico, Mexico's put on that water, they have the right to, to turn the light switch off at any time. Okay. So because of that, farmers cannot plan with that water, you know. Why would you invest thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of dollars to prep a field, buy seed, go plant it, and then all of a sudden the water source is no longer there.”

Growing a variety of commodities in South Texas helps producers keep their operations profitable. Without knowing if they will have a reliable amount of water to irrigate their fields, farmers face the challenge of deciding what crops to grow.

Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO, Texas International Produce Association: “ Here's the problem. If all of South Texas is only growing 2 or 3 commodities, now, you've oversupplied the market and even worse, you've depressed the market because there's so much supply. Now you're not getting that return. So that's why crop mix is so important, and that's why it's so devastating to South Texas farmers when we can't do a crop mix.”

Some producers have the advantage of being near where the water is available. Tony Martinez is a managing member of Primo Trading Services, a fresh produce brokerage. Martinez farms in both the U.S. and Mexico and acknowledges farming in both countries helps his operations navigate water supply struggles.

Tony Martinez, Primo Trading Services: “We have not farmed Texas watermelons in the valley in the last four years, because we had to move that to Mexico. Why? Because our allocations of water have been less./ So we've had to basically reallocate the limited resources of water and move it to other crops like onions and cabbage.”

Uncertainty over how much water will be available in South Texas has pushed irrigation districts and farmers to be frugal with their water allotments.

Dante Galeazzi, President and CEO, Texas International Produce Association: “We often hear this misconstrued idea that agriculture is overusing water. Let me say this. Agriculture is not overusing water. Agriculture uses exactly the amount of water that is provided to them in a very efficient way, right? In the same acre of citrus 20 years ago. We are producing almost 100 times more right now because we have such better yields, much better technology, much better varieties.

For growers in the Rio Grande Valley, optimism, like the water they rely on, is in short supply.

Tony Martinez, Primo Trading Services: “The issue with water is something that's not going to go away. Unfortunately. Of course we're going to do our best to continue to advocate, Be diligent in how we use it. You know, I feel that growers have to do their part, too. You know, we have to, we have to evolve with the times. We have to be more efficient in farming. But unfortunately, I strongly believe that this water issue will continue to, to be an issue. You know, I don't see it going away anytime soon.”

For Market to Market, I’m John Torpy.