SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, Jr., has resurrected talk of building a weir dam on the Rio Grande south of his city.
Cowen believes such a reservoir could help provide more water for the drought-stricken Rio Grande Valley and northern Tamaulipas. He notes that the 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty allows for three dams on the Rio Grande. The two already established are Falcon Lake and Amistad Dam.
Opposition from groups such as the Region M Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group stymied discussion of a Weir Dam 20-plus years ago.
Cowen reinstated the discussion when appearing on a podcast with San Antonio-based commentator and strategist Eddie Aldrete. The podcast is called Beyond the Bite.
On the podcast, which is titled Beyond the Bite, Cowen said Matamoros, which sits across the Rio Grande from Brownsville and has a population of about half a million people, has only day of water in reserve.
“The city of Matamoros only has one day of water reserves. One day. So, you know that the time is going to come relatively soon when they're going to… there are going to be real shortages. And so, what does that mean for them? What does that mean for us when it comes to responding to what is going to be a humanitarian issue?”
On the subject of the Weir Dam, Cowen told Aldrete:
“Under the 1944 water treaty that we have with Mexico, we're allowed to build three dams. They've already built two, Amistad and Falcon. We can build another one. You know, there has always been a project in the background, which is the Weir Dam.”
Previous plans called for the dam to be built about eight miles downstream from Brownsville and Matamoros. The weir would create a reservoir holding about two billion gallons of water. At the turn of the century, it was slated to cost around $40 million.
“That project, I believe, was fully authorized and fully funded at one point in the 90s, maybe. Those monies were utilized for something else, and so it never got done, and never had the full political backing on both sides (of the river). But I really think that's something we need to look at.”
Aldrete pointed out that widening the river into a reservoir makes it harder to cross, so border security would be improved.
“Absolutely,” Cowen responded. “So, I think that (the Weir Dam) is something we really need to advocate for. And I think it's a solution of, a partial solution to this issue.”
The conversation about water started with Aldrete telling listeners that Texas’ last remaining sugar mill, in Santa Rosa/La Villa, has just closed due to a lack of available irrigation water. He suggested to Cowen that water supply is going to be a growing challenge for the Rio Grande Valley.
“Absolutely,” said Cowen, agreeing with Aldrete. “I think it's the number one priority for our region, to ensure that we're sustainable when it comes to water.”
Cowen predicted water conservation would be a big issue this summer.
“The sugar mill was obviously the first casualty in that arena. I think that there are going to be other casualties coming. I think all prognosis is saying that we're gonna go to Stage Three this summer, around June or July, which means an increased amount of restrictions. There are going to be surcharges for people and businesses for their usage. But I think it also restricts water for agriculture. And so, I fear for them, for their businesses,” Cowen said.
“We are going to have to realize as a state, we need to do better for that industry and look to other states that have dealt with this issue, to identify a roadmap to make these industries resilient.”
Cowen said the combined water levels in Amistad and Falcon is currently 22 percent. He said his city relies on the Rio Grande for about 70 percent of its water.
“The other 30 percent we get from our desal plant that we, the city's utility, owns,” Cowen said. “It (Brownsville’s desalinated water reserves) can be used for commercial or residential customers. It also services other communities that get water from that plant.”
Cowen’s said the desal plant produces seven and a half million gallons a day. It is water the City of Brownville has come to rely on, he said.
“The Texas Water Development Board has a new fund. I think it's a billion-dollar fund for new projects to increase water supply. So, I'm hopeful that we're going to be able to access funds to optimize our plant,” Cowen said.
"We've identified ways that we can get another 50 percent capacity out of our current plant. So, we can go up to 11 to 12 million gallons a day.”
Cowen added: “We're looking at doubling that plant, right. So that's a $200 million to $250 million dollar project. If we were to double it and optimize it, we would be able to 100 percent cover our current needs. But we are growing. So, we need to be very mindful (of that).”
