Senior officials from the U.S. Department of State, Department of Agriculture, and U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission recently met with Mexican representatives to address concerns about Mexico’s compliance with the 1944 Water Treaty. The meeting focused on finding immediate solutions to reduce water delivery shortfalls and ensure treaty obligations are met.
During the discussions, both sides reviewed current water resources. U.S. officials urged Mexico to increase its water deliveries for Texas users and requested further information before reconvening for additional talks.
According to the administration, "Under the Trump Administration, Mexico has delivered more water in the last year than in the previous four years combined." Despite this progress, ongoing shortfalls have intensified water scarcity in Texas and led to significant crop losses valued at hundreds of millions of dollars for local farmers.
President Trump and Secretary Rubio have emphasized that Mexico must fulfill its commitments under the treaty by addressing an estimated 865,000 acre-feet deficit over the 2020-2025 period and ensuring requirements are met for 2025-2030 as well. The statement noted: "President Trump and Secretary Rubio have been clear that Mexico must meet their obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty, including making up the approximately 865,000 acre-feet shortfall over the 2020-2025 five-year cycle and meeting delivery requirements under the 2025-2030 cycle. This includes a plan to reliably meet water treaty requirements that takes into consideration the needs of Texas users."
The United States reiterated its commitment to working with Mexico through diplomatic channels while continuing to assess all options available to ensure compliance with agreed-upon water deliveries.
