US-Mexico reach deal to send more water to Texas farmers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States and the Mexican government reached an agreement that will have Mexico send more water to Texas.

The deal is a part of a 1944 treaty.

US-Mexico water deal

Dig deeper:

United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made the announcement on Monday.

Officials in the U.S. and lawmakers have raised concerns that Mexico is not meeting its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty.

The treaty requires Mexico to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the United States from the Rio Grande River every five years.

In return, the U.S. delivers 1.5 million acre-feet of water to Mexico from the Colorado River.

Officials say the lack of deliveries from Mexico has led to severe water shortages for farmers and ranchers in the Rio Grande Valley. In 2024, Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz raised concerns about a Texas sugar mill that had to close due to "acute water shortages."

The new agreement laid out a plan for short-term water relief for this growing season. The current five-year cycle in the treaty ends in October.

President Trump had threatened tariffs and to halt water shipments to Tijuana until Mexico agreed to the deal.

What they're saying:

"Mexico finally meeting the water needs of Texas farmers and ranchers under the 1944 Water Treaty is a major win for American agriculture. After weeks of negotiations with Mexican cabinet officials alongside the Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, we secured an agreement to give Texas producers the water they need to thrive. While this is a significant step forward, we welcome Mexico’s continued cooperation to support the future of American agriculture," said Secretary Rollins.

"We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the Government of Mexico to find solutions to the water scarcity affecting communities on both sides of the border, including measures to promote water conservation and to ensure regular and predictable water deliveries to the United States," wrote Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department.

"South Texas has been devastated by Mexico’s repeated refusal to deliver the water it has owed the United States for far too long, and I commend the Trump administration for securing this critical deal for Mexico to finally send water to the region," wrote Senator John Cornyn in a statement.