MCALLEN, Texas – According to former McAllen Mayor Jim Darling, who is very much an expert on water, we are currently losing seven tenths of one percent of water in our two South Texas reservoirs on the Rio Grande – Amistad and Falcon.
This heavy downpour of rain we had a few weeks ago did not make any significant difference.
The two dams are at 23 percent capacity right now. That means we have got four or five weeks before we get to 20 percent. The reason 20 percent is significant is because that’s when water to agriculture is cut off.
We’ve only gone below 20 percent once in the history of the reservoir systems. That was in 1999. At 20 percent our Rio Grande Valley cities are supposed to take some pretty drastic action, albeit on a temporary basis, such as not issuing building permits, and not approving new subdivision plans. So, it is pretty serious.
Mayor Darling, by the way, is chairman of the Region M Water Planning Group, which is a state appointed board.
Under the terms of a 1944 water treaty, Mexico is expected to deliver an average of 350,000 acre feet of water each year, over a five year cycle, to fulfill its water contribution to the Rio Grande. It has not been doing so until the very end of the five year cycle. This has left our farmers in a difficult situation.
According to U.S. Senator John Cornyn, the lack rainfall in 2022 left farmers in South Texas with devastating crop losses and continued dry weather thus far in 2023 will continue to exacerbate crop losses.
I am pinning my hopes on Mexico fulfilling its water treaty obligations on Sen. Cornyn. He has led the charge in Washington in pressing the State Department to act. Sen. Cornyn has been the champion on so many issues for South Texas in the past. I am sure he will be on this issue also.
Bravo, Senator Cornyn.
Here, below, is a letter Sen. Cornyn sent to Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken in May about the water issue. It was co-signed by numerous members of Congress, including our South Texas delegation of Henry Cuellar, Vicente Gonzalez, Tony Gonzales and Monica De La Cruz.
The Honorable Antony J. Blinken,
Secretary of State
US Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
May 4, 2023.
Dear Secretary Blinken,
The United States and Mexico share water on the Rio Grande based on the “Treaty Relating to the Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande, signed in 1944. Under this treaty, Mexico is expected to deliver an average of 350,000 acre feet of water each year, over a five year cycle, to fulfill its water contribution to the Rio Grande. However, Mexico repeatedly waits until the end of the five year cycle, to fulfill its water contribution: all while South Texas farmers and water users deal with the negative consequences of not having enough water to grow their crops. The US government should not overlook our South Texas Community. It should engage with Mexico to ensure Mexico fulfills its obligation to release old water to the US every year.
The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) oversees Treaty implementation and is run by a commissioner, appointed by the President of the United States.
The treaty states that “Wherever there are provisions in this Treaty for joint action or joint agreement by the two Governments, or for the furnishings of reports, studies or plans to the two Governments, or similar provisions, it shall be understood that the particular matter in question “shall be handled by or through the Department of State and the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Mexico.”
Article 3 states that in matters in which the Commission may be called upon to make provision for the joint use of international waters, the preferences provided as a guide lists domestic and municipal uses as number one, and agriculture and stock raising as the second priority.
The lack rainfall in 2022 left farmers in South Texas with devastating crop losses and continued dry weather thus far in 2023 will continue to exacerbate crop losses. As farmers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley fight to secure enough water to grow crops, it is critical the efforts to obtain the water out of the US under the water treaty of 1944 be a priority. It is mission critical time; some agriculture production may cease and businesses shuttered if water is not released now and every year per the treaty.
Last month the IBWC Commissioner made a formal request to Mexico for immediate water releases. Additionally, on a recent visit to Mexico, Members of the Texas Congressional delegation expressed concern to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. However the water has still not been released.
We the undersigned members of Congress, asked the US State Department to immediately engage with the IBWC Commissioner to ensure Mexico provides for immediate releases of water out to Amistad and Falcon Reservoirs, which flow to South Texas. Additionally, we asked the State Department to work with the IBWC Commissioner to further engage with Mexico through the Minute process to ensure more consistent water releases from this point forward so that this is not a reoccurring concern.
Attached for reference is a letter dated January 31, 2023, from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The statistics referenced in the letter capture the situation as of that date, the water deficits continue to rise.
We look forward to a speedy response on this sensitive time-sensitive matter.
Sincerely,
Monica De La Cruz, Member of Congress
Henry Cuellar, Member of Congress
Vicente Gonzalez, Member of Congress
John Cornyn, US Senator
Keith Self, Member of Congress
August Pfluger, Member of Congress
Beth Van Duyne, Member of Congress
Ronny Jackson, Member of Congress
Jasmine Crockett, Member of Congress
Michael Cloud, Member of Congress
John Carter, Member of Congress
Jake Ellzey, Member of Congress
Morgan Luttrell, Member of Congress
Colin Alldred, Member of Congress
Tony Gonzales, Member of Congress
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Ron Whitlock, a public policy advocate, veteran broadcaster and executive producer of Ron Whitlock Reports.
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