Rio Grande Valley farmers, who had seen insufficient rainfall and water depletion devastate their industries, provided modest but helpful amounts of water to their parched lands.
Farmers are hesitant to accept this.
Farmers and the irrigation districts that supply water to them remain at an impasse with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality over more than 120,000 acres of water that Mexico has provided to the United States.
The problem is that if farmers accept water now, they will have to give up water they already own and need next year.
In mid-October, farmers and irrigation districts met with TCEQ representatives and representatives of the International Boundary and Water Commission, the federal agency that oversees water treaties between the United States and Mexico, to discuss the proposal.
More than 120,000 acres of water is needed that Mexico has provided to the United States after heavy rains caused significant spills from Mexico’s Marte Gomez reservoir, which is at 123.7 percent capacity.
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Once the IBWC receives the water and allocates it to Texas, TCEQ is responsible for distributing the water within the state through the Watermaster Program, depending on who owns the water rights.
Sonny Hinojosa, water advocate for Hidalgo County Irrigation District Number 2, said many water rights holders do not have enough water for the spring planting season. If TCEQ were to charge them for accepting water currently provided by Mexico, the water they already own and were trying to preserve for the next planting cycle would be released for other uses.
“If there is not enough water stored behind the dam to complete the crop, farmers will not invest in seeds and prepare the land,” Hinojosa said. “It’s such a big investment.”
TCEQ said not charging the irrigation district’s farmers and employees for that water would be unfair to other water rights holders who do not receive San Juan River water. boon.
If it is not recharged and current water is held in the reservoir, that water can be reallocated to others later when enough water comes in from rain or other water sources.
“Water that we have not requested to be released remains behind the dam. And when the next allocation comes, everyone gets a piece of the pie,” he said.
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The Falcon and Amistad reservoirs provide water to farmers and irrigators in the Rio Grande Valley, but water levels remain low due to insufficient rainfall to meet farmers’ needs.
The U.S. side of the reservoir is also supposed to receive water from Mexico under a 1944 treaty. Mexico must deliver 1.75 million acres of water to the United States from six tributaries every five years, or an average of 350,000 acres of water each year. But Mexico has fallen behind, needing to supply more than 1.3 million acres of land by an October 2025 deadline.
The San Juan River is not one of the six tributaries, but its waters would be recognized as part of Mexico’s water debt if allowed.
There is a risk that water will overflow over the dam, so it is important that an agreement is reached soon on the water to be provided.
“If it rains in this area and the water starts pouring, it’s dangerous,” said IBWC member Maria-Elena Giner. “Another problem is that if we don’t start using that water or if that promise isn’t made soon, other people in Mexico may say, ‘Well, then we’ll have it and we’ll use it.’ For our users.’”
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It’s this urgency that motivated Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller to issue an executive order last month authorizing farmers and irrigators to use water from the Rio Grande.
“Every day counts,” Miller said, adding that TCEQ’s hands are tied on this issue. “By the time they got through the red tape, I was already afraid of the water going out of the Gulf.”
But Miller’s authority to grant access to farmers is questionable at best. TCEQ said water rights are subject to the Texas Water Code and TCEQ regulations.
“All Texans along the Rio Grande must continue to comply with these requirements,” a TCEQ spokesperson wrote in an email.
The department added that it continues to work with local stakeholders and IBWC on negotiations for water supplies from Mexico.
IBWC said it appreciates Miller’s efforts to help South Texas producers and irrigation districts. Giner said the agency continues to urge Mexico to provide a plan to address shortfalls and improve water supplies.
Reporting from the Rio Grande Valley is supported in part by Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
