US Denies Mexico's Water Request Amid Treaty Dispute

Tensions between the United States and Mexico over water allocations under the 1944 Water Treaty have reached a new high, with the US government officially denying Mexico's request for a special delivery channel from the Colorado River to Tijuana, Baja California. This decision, announced by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, comes as Mexico continues to fall short in its water deliveries.

“Mexico's continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are decimating American agriculture — particularly farmers in the Rio Grande valley. As a result, today for the first time, the United States will deny Mexico's non-treaty request for a special delivery channel for Colorado River water to be delivered to Tijuana,” writes the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs in X.

Governor of Texas Greg Abbott writes on X: "Texas will work closely with the Trump Administration to hold Mexico accountable for their breaches of our long-standing water agreement. Mexico’s blatant disregard of water obligations must not be allowed to continue."

Adding to the pressure, US Senator Ted Cruz issued a warning that Mexico must comply with the 1944 Water Treaty or face sanctions, MBN reported. He emphasized that Texas farmers are facing a crisis due to Mexico's noncompliance and vowed to work with the administration to enforce the treaty. 

“This week, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and I toured with farmers and ranchers from across the Rio Grande Valley who are being devastated because Mexico will not live up to its Water Treaty obligations. In the Senate, I am leading the fight to hold Mexico accountable, including through sanctions and withholding non-treaty water,” writes Cruz on X.

Mexico's Treaty Obligations and Deficit

Under the 1944 Water Treaty, Mexico is required to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet (2,158.6 million m³) of water over five-year cycles, averaging 350,000 acre-feet (431.7 million m³) annually. However, as of March 2025, the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) reports that Mexico has delivered only 488,634 acre-feet (603 million m³), falling short by 65%, as previously reported by MBN.

In response to this dispute, President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that the issue is being addressed through Mexico’s National Water Commission (CONAGUA) and the IBWC’s Mexican section (CILA), responsible for monitoring the treaty.

Ongoing Negotiations and Binational Agreements

Efforts to manage water resources collaboratively have been ongoing since last year. Governor of Baja California Marina del Pilar previously met with IBWC officials in March 2024 to discuss agreements under Acts 320, 323, and 328, which aim to secure water for the California-Baja California region. These agreements focus on conservation, efficient usage, and mitigating water scarcity in the Colorado River Basin, MBN reports.

In June 2024, IBWC US Commissioner Maria Elena Giner confirmed that intense negotiations were underway with Mexico to ensure Texas water users receive their due allocation. “We are currently negotiating intensely with Mexico to deliver water for the benefit of our Texas users.  The well being of our border residents is a priority for the IBWC,” writes Giner on X.

Signing of Minute 331

On Nov. 7, 2024, both nations signed Minute 331, an agreement designed to enhance the reliability of Rio Grande water deliveries and establish a Rio Grande Environmental Working Group (RGEWG). This initiative aims to improve predictability in water allocations, develop new water sources and environmental projects, and enhance water quality in the Rio Grande basin.

Adriana Reséndez, Commissioner, Mexican IBWC, says that the agreement provides additional tools for Mexico to meet its treaty commitments while maintaining sovereignty over its water resources. Humberto Marengo, Technical Deputy Director General, CONAGUA, adds that Minute 331 enables the adoption of new water management strategies.