US and Mexico face-off as water woes add more pressure on strained relationship

Washington D.C.: The US has rejected a request from Mexico for additional water deliveries, escalating tensions over a decades-old water-sharing treaty as drought strains resources on both sides of the border. The State Department announced Thursday it would not grant Mexico’s appeal for emergency water supplies to Tijuana, marking the first such refusal.

The dispute centers on the 1944 treaty governing water allocation from the Rio Grande and Colorado River. Under the agreement, Mexico is required to send water from the Rio Grande basin to the US, while the US supplies Mexico with Colorado River water. However, Mexico has fallen behind on its obligations due to severe drought in its northern regions, leaving Texas farmers struggling.

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"The Rio Grande Valley’s agriculture is being decimated by Mexico’s water shortfalls," the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs stated. US officials argue Mexico has delayed releases until the end of five-year cycles, worsening shortages. Last November, days after Trump’s election, the two nations reached a deal to improve deliveries, but compliance remains contentious.

In Mexico, farmers protest the treaty, citing their own drought crises. Meanwhile, Tijuana — which relies on the Colorado River for 90% of its water — faces shortages exacerbated by aging infrastructure. The Colorado River, also vital to US cities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles, is dwindling due to overuse and climate pressures.

Texas lawmakers, including Sen. Ted Cruz, applauded the US decision, accusing Mexico of "noncompliance" and demanding action. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced $280 million in aid for affected farmers.