US and Mexico Forge New Water Agreement Amid Ongoing Drought

The agreement aims to address Mexico's water delivery shortfalls under a 1944 treaty, offering flexibility and new tools to manage shared resources.

The US and Mexico have reached a new agreement to help Mexico meet its water delivery obligations under a 1944 treaty, which requires 1.75 million acre-feet of water over five years.
The agreement provides Mexico with tools and flexibility to deliver water earlier in the cycle, addressing past shortfalls and the reliance on unpredictable weather patterns.
Mexico has delivered only about 425,000 acre-feet of water in the current cycle, which began in 2020, far below the required amount, leading to tensions with US farmers needing reliable water supplies.
The new measures include enhanced coordination on water conservation, re-use, and alternative sources, with the establishment of working groups to improve water quality in the Rio Grande basin.
The agreement was reached after 18 months of negotiations and aims to prevent conflicts like those in 2020, when Mexican farmers protested water transfers to the US amid local shortages.