The United States, Mexico Reach Border Water Delivery Agreement

Mexico and the United States reached an agreement on water deliveries under the 1944 International Water Treaty. The agreement outlines measures to ensure compliance with Mexico's commitments regarding Rio Bravo water allocations and mitigate a potential shortfall by the end of the five-year cycle, which concludes on Oct. 24, 2025.

The Ministries of Foreign Relations (SRE), Agriculture (SADER), and Enviroment (SEMARNAT) noted the agreement was based on technical analyses of water availability in the Rio Bravo basin, and determined that 400-518 million cubic m³ could be allocated to the United States between May and October 2025. 

The specific volume allocated will depend on the amount of water available once the next rainy period begins, the three ministries reported. These sources include the International Amistad Dam, six Mexican tributaries of the Rio Grande, the San Juan River in an extraordinary manner, and the Luis L. Leon Dam.

With these actions, the current potential shortfall in Rio Bravo water deliveries is sought to be considerably reduced, which, without these actions, would be the largest recorded in history for a first cycle since the signing of the Treaty, reads the government’s press release.

Mexican authorities stressed they secured the volumes required to guarantee all human consumption, even in a low rainfall scenario. Water needed to complete the agricultural cycle and meet Mexico's needs was also considered, without compromising human consumption and agricultural support. Both parties agreed that the 1944 Treaty was not subject to revision.

The agreement was announced following a warning of sanctions from US President Donald Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that Mexico's priority is to guarantee the human right to water and irrigation in agricultural areas, affirming that water would be delivered to the best of Mexico’s possibilities, based on the technical review of available water in dams and without putting the country at risk. She attributed previous shortfalls to drought conditions on the border.

As subsequent steps, annual meetings will be held to evaluate basin conditions and determine future actions, while within the framework of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), close monitoring will continue regarding the implementation of these measures and the evolution of conditions in the basin.

Finally, with the actions to be implemented in the current cycle until October 2025, the goal is for Mexico to have better conditions in the next cycle for fulfilling its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty, guaranteeing at all times public use for Mexican border populations that depend on the Rio Bravo stream.

The 1944 Treaty establishes that Mexico must deliver approximately 2.16 billion m³ to the United States every five years, while Mexico retains significantly more. Mexican authorities stated that the United States agreed that the treaty offers benefits for both countries, making re-negotiation unnecessary. They also noted that without these agreed actions, the current potential shortfall in Río Bravo water deliveries would be the largest recorded for a first cycle since the Treaty's signing.