Trump admin rejects Colorado River water request from Mexico in first since 1944
The Trump administration has denied a special request from Mexico for the delivery of Colorado River water to the city of Tijuana — marking the first such denial in 81 years.
Justifying the decision, the U.S. State Department blamed Mexico for failing to abide by the terms of a historic water partnership accord signed between the two nations in 1944.
"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," the department announced on the social platform X, via its Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
"As a result, today for the first time, the U.S. will deny Mexico's non-treaty request for a special delivery channel for Colorado River water to be delivered to Tijuana," the agency added.
The 1944 treaty, which focused on the "utilization of waters of the Colorado and Tijuana rivers and of the Rio Grande," also created the joint International Boundary and Water Commission, which is responsible for managing shared water deliveries according to a five-year distribution cycle.
Under the agreement, the U.S. sends Colorado River water to Mexico, which is entitled to 1.5 million acre-feet of the resource each year. The historic flow of the Colorado River extended from the headwaters in Colorado to the Gulf of California in the Mexican state of Sonora — but that flow now tapers near the border.
As a basis of comparison, U.S. Colorado River basin states are entitled to 15 billion acre-feet, and the average American household consumes about 1 acre-foot of water annually.
The 1944 treaty also instructs Mexico to make Rio Grande water deliveries to its northern neighbor. Over the years, however, Mexico has accrued a significant Rio Grande water debt and has fallen behind on its water-sharing payments.
Responding to reporters regarding the water delivery refusal last week, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum described the denial as an "important issue" and noted that it is being addressed by the International Boundary and Water Commission and by Mexico's national water utility, Conagua.
"There has been less water," Sheinbaum said. "This is part of the problem, and that's why this is important."
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