Mexico has reached an agreement with the United States on a delivery plan to address a shortfall in water deliveries to Mexico, leaders of both countries announced Tuesday.
Mexico has "committed to a detailed plan to fully repay all outstanding water debt accrued" during a period spanning from 2020 to 2025 after it failed to make all the shipments required by a 1944 treaty, according to a joint USDA and State Department press release. On top of that debt, it will also deliver a minimum of 350,000 acre-feet of water per year in the current cycle, which began this year and goes until 2030.
Meanwhile, a press release from Mexico's foreign ministry (translated using Google translate) said the agreement will "ensure the delivery of a minimum annual quantity agreed upon between both countries based on the basin’s hydrological conditions and the treaty’s provisions, while prioritizing supply for human consumption and agricultural production."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the USDA-State press release that the the Trump administration secured "Mexico’s commitment to meet its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty, while also providing a plan to eliminate the deficit from the prior cycle, strengthening water security for Texas communities and U.S. agriculture."
Under that 1944 agreement, Mexico agreed to supply 1.75 million acre feet of water to the U.S. every five years. But when the most recent 5-year cycle ended on Oct. 25 of last year, Mexico had only delivered 884,861 acre-feet — less than half of what it owed.
The lag of deliveries has created irrigation struggles for farmers in Texas. The state's only sugar mill closed down in 2024 due to a lack of water needed to continue supporting the crop.
The Trump administration's press release says President Donald Trump had a call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum last week where "both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to resolving longstanding water management challenges and supporting communities and producers on both sides of the border.
It also says both parties will hold monthly meetings to "ensure timely, consistent deliveries and prevent future deficits."
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