In South Texas, a crisis is emerging over a water-sharing agreement between the United States and Mexico. The 1944 Water Treaty, which regulates water distribution in shared river basins, is facing challenges as Mexico’s compliance declines. Farmers like Matt Klosterman are particularly affected, stating that “Citrus is kind of on the chopping block. It requires quite a bit of water,” according to KSAT.
As reported by Head Topics, the 1944 Water Treaty mandates that Mexico deliver 1.75 million acre feet of water every five years, but concerns are rising as the country approaches the end of the fourth year and may not meet its obligations. Historical patterns since 1992 show that Mexico has frequently failed to comply with the treaty, putting agriculture at risk and potentially affecting consumers in places like San Antonio, where local produce could decline. International Boundary Water Commissioner Maria-Elena Giner noted that “We are in year four of this 1944 water treaty, and Mexico has a very high probability of ending the five-year cycle in deficit.”
The Rio Grande Valley, reliant on the treaty for water, has already seen its sugar industry collapse, hurting the local economy. Farmer Matt Klosterman expressed concern over the loss of this staple crop, noting, “Just recently here, this past year, we as growers lost our sugar industry.” The need for water for crops like sugar and citrus is causing anxiety among farmers, who are considering strategies like retaliatory non-compliance on Colorado River allocations, despite the potential legal and federal complications involved, as per KSAT…