Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality have demanded that Mexico immediately address its failure to meet the minimum delivery obligations to the United States under the 1944 Water Treaty.
The 1944 Water Treaty is an agreement between the United States and Mexico regarding how the waters of the Rio Grande and other rivers will be shared.
Mexico has not fulfilled its treaty obligations consistently since 1994.
Under the treaty, the United States has consistently met its delivery obligations on the Colorado River, while Mexico has significantly breached its commitments on the Rio Grande River.
“Mexico must be held accountable for [its] continued breaches of our long-standing water agreement,” said Abbott.
The latest five-year cycle under the 1944 Water Treaty between the United States and Mexico closed on October 24, 2025, with Mexico again failing to meet its minimum delivery obligations, which total 1.75 million acre-feet.
Preliminary data indicates Mexico has a remaining delivery deficit of over 800,000 acre-feet of water—equivalent to roughly two and a half years of required deliveries.
A Texas A&M University study estimated nearly $1 billion in losses from crop production alone in 2023 due to Mexico’s violations.
Earlier this month, U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz proposed the Ensuring Predictable and Reliable Water Deliveries Act of 2025 to hold Mexico accountable for failing to provide water to South Texas in accordance with the 1944 Water Treaty. It would also limit engagement with the Mexican government until the country upholds its obligations to deliver water to the United States.
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