The United States has reached an agreement with Mexico that guarantees a minimum annual volume of water deliveries, replacing the previous system under which Mexico was required to meet a quota over a five-year period. Washington said the new arrangement is expected to benefit farmers in southern U.S. states, particularly in Texas, who have long complained about water shortages linked to delayed deliveries.
Under the terms of the agreement, Mexico will send at least 350,000 acre-feet of water to the United States each year throughout the five-year cycle. An acre-foot is the volume of water needed to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot. The deal follows months of negotiations and came after U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Mexico could face a 5% tariff on its exports if it failed to increase water deliveries.
The agreement represents a significant shift from the framework established under the 1944 Water Treaty, which obliges Mexico to deliver a total of 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the United States every five years, averaging 350,000 acre-feet annually. While Mexico has historically met this requirement by the end of each cycle, U.S. officials have argued that Mexico often accumulates a water “debt” during the early years, delaying deliveries and causing shortages for farmers in Texas before making up the difference later.
U.S. authorities say the new commitment to a guaranteed annual minimum will provide greater certainty for agricultural planning in the Rio Grande basin. In return, the United States has supplied Mexico with additional water from other sources located further west along the shared border.
Mexico’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Environment, and Agriculture confirmed the agreement in a joint statement issued Tuesday, though they did not specify the volume of water involved. “Mexico confirmed its willingness to guarantee the delivery of a minimum annual amount agreed upon by both countries,” the statement said.
