The United States refused a request from Mexico for additional water deliveries, citing ongoing shortfalls in Mexico’s water-sharing commitments. This marked the first time that the US had turned down such a request under the 1944 treaty that governed water allocation from the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers.
The requested water would have gone to Tijuana, a major border city heavily reliant on the Colorado River. However, the US state department justified its decision by pointing to Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations under the treaty, which operates on five-year cycles. The current cycle ends in October 2025.
Mexico has fallen behind in its water payments due to drought conditions in the arid north of the country, as per the Guardian.
“Mexico’s continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are decimating American agriculture– particularly farmers in the Rio Grande valley,” the state department’s Latin America bureau said in a post on X.
The treaty has come under strain in recent years due to increasing water demands, prolonged droughts, and climate change. While US officials argue that Mexico has repeatedly delayed its water transfers until the last minute, falling short in the latest cycle, Mexico itself is struggling with severe drought conditions.
The issue is particularly sensitive for farmers in southern Texas, who rely on Mexican water deliveries for crops such as cotton and citrus. A year ago, the region’s last sugar mill was forced to shut down, with operators blaming a lack of water from Mexico.
To ease the crisis, the United States and Mexico reached an agreement in November, days after Donald Trump’s election victory, to improve water deliveries. The deal, hailed by then-President Joe Biden’s administration, committed Mexico to more timely transfers, rather than waiting until the end of each five-year cycle.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, speaking before the state department’s announcement, said the matter was being handled through the countries’ boundary and water commission.
“There’s been less water. That’s part of the problem,” she told reporters.
The dispute has also triggered political tensions, with Texas lawmakers pushing for stronger action.
“Texas farmers are in crisis because of Mexico’s noncompliance,” Senator Ted Cruz wrote on X, welcoming the State Department’s stance.
“I will work with the Trump administration to pressure Mexico into complying and to get water to Texas farmers.”
In response to the crisis, US agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins announced a $280 million relief package for Rio Grande Valley farmers.
The water dispute is unfolding as Trump takes a tough stance on Latin America, particularly on migration. He has vowed to crack down on undocumented arrivals, deployed troops to the border, and imposed tariffs on Mexico, though those have been temporarily paused until 2 April.