U.S., Mexico Reach Deal on Water

June 29, 2002

EL PASO, Texas -- The United States and Mexico have agreed on a water pact that could give relief to farmers in the drought-stricken Rio Grande Valley, U.S. officials said Saturday.

The agreement marks the end of Mexico's 10-year failure to meet the terms of a 1944 water-sharing treaty. Mexico currently owes the United States about 1.5 million acre feet of water. An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons.

The first release under the pact involves 90,000 acre-feet of water from the Falcon Reservoir, which is along the border west of San Antonio. No release date was given.

The agreement also calls for future releases intended to ease the water debt and financial investment from both countries to conserve water and improve the system's efficiency.

"The agreement reached contributes to resolving the water problems along the border, taking into account immediate needs as well as concrete actions to be taken in the medium and long term," said Richard Boucher, spokesman for the State Department, in a written statement.

"Both governments will assure more efficient use of water in Rio Grande basin, which will permit guaranteed supply for Mexican users, and compliance with the obligations established under the 1944 Treaty for the benefit of U.S. users," he said.

Mexico is seeking funds for a huge irrigation improvement project that could involve funds from the jointly controlled North American Development Bank. But Texas farmers and politicians have said the United States should not send funds to help Mexican farmers while Mexico owed water to U.S. farmers.

"This is a good beginning," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas. "Although it may be too late to save this year's crops, this initial water release gets the cycle of payment started. Now we must work even harder to find a permanent solution to the mounting water debt that's devastating our Valley farmers."
Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press

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