On Thursday, the U.S. Department of State, under the Donald Trump administration, shared some news that’s turned up the heat between the U.S. and Mexico. They said no to Mexico’s request for a special deal to get Colorado River water to Tijuana. Such a rejection has never happened before.
They gave the reason that Mexico hasn’t been keeping its end of the water-sharing agreement since 1944. This decision comes from President Trump’s team, and it’s like they’re putting their foot down to get Mexico to stick to the agreed-upon rules.
The State Department posted on X (formerly Twitter): “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.”
Mexico’s government is still keeping quiet about it officially, but their president, Claudia Sheinbaum, admitted it’s a serious situation. She said, “It is being addressed by [national water agency] Conagua and [the International Boundary and Water Commission], which is in charge of reviewing this treaty.”
The water deal that the U.S. and Mexico signed in 1944 concerns sharing water from the Colorado River and the Rio Grande in a way that is fair for everyone.
As part of this deal, Mexico has to give some water to the U.S. every five years from dams along the border between Texas and Mexico. In return, the U.S. shares water from the Colorado River with Mexico.
Recently, however, because of really bad droughts in northern Mexico, it’s been tough for our southern neighbor to keep their end of the bargain. The shortages have upset many U.S. folks, especially the ones who work the land. They say Mexico keeps waiting until the last second to give the water, and sometimes it’s just not enough.
The Guardian reported on March 20, 2025, that “The treaty has been stretched to its limits due to climate pressures and population growth.” Now, as Mexico’s latest water offer was turned down, there will be more arguing about who gets to use what water and how Americans can all work together nicely across the border.
The choice definitely stirs up some political drama. Farmers in Texas, who count on the water from the Rio Grande, are having a tough time because Mexico has been late with their deliveries.
Senator Ted Cruz from Texas said,
Excellent. As I said yesterday, this option is absolutely what the Trump administration needs to pressure Mexico to fulfill its obligations under the 1944 Water Treaty.
Texas farmers are in crisis because of Mexico’s noncompliance. I will work with the Trump administration to… https://t.co/s5sf7DYPg6
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) March 20, 2025
And the U.S. Department of Agriculture is setting aside a huge chunk of money, like $280 million, to help out the farmers who are dealing with all this mess. But Tijuana needs the Colorado River for almost all its water and is staring down the barrel of a potential crisis.
Back in 2023, they had it rough with not enough water to go around because their pipes were old, and people wanted more than the river could give. The mayor, Sheinbaum, said, “There’s been less water. That’s part of the problem.”
Now, because of this new move, they might have to deal with even tougher times with water rationing.
This issue is part of a much bigger problem, as the climate is getting worse. The Colorado River, a lifeline for millions of people, has been getting smaller because of long dry spells and farmers using too much water in the southwestern part of the U.S.
In 2022, an AFP report discussed how climate change is really messing with the Colorado River. It said that “water supplies to some U.S. states and Mexico will be cut to avoid catastrophic collapse.”
Last year, the last sugar factory in southern Texas had to close because there just wasn’t enough water. That’s a big deal because it shows that this water problem is starting to hit us where it hurts—the citizens’ wallets.
And it’s not just Texas feeling the pinch. In places like southern California and Nevada, the people in charge are making everyone stick to pretty strict water-saving rules. This is all because their water supply is getting lower and lower, and the government needs to do something about it.
Droughts are common in California.
But this year’s is much hotter and drier than others, evaporating water more quickly from the reservoirs and the sparse Sierra Nevada snowpack that feeds them.https://t.co/5BzRsbeFI5 pic.twitter.com/WHI2AFrQvb
— Insider (@thisisinsider) June 5, 2021
This argument is occurring amid disagreements between Donald Trump and Mexico. Since he got back into the Oval Office, Trump has been talking tough about our neighbors to the south, especially when it comes to immigration and trade.
His team has even sent soldiers to the border and said they’ll start charging extra for things Americans get from Mexico, though they’re giving everyone some time until April 2 to figure things out. The decision not to give them water is just one more way of pushing Mexico to do what the U.S. wants.
As they approach the expiration date of their water-sharing agreement, which will be in October 2025, the talks are likely to intensify. Both countries need to work something out that’s fair for farmers, doesn’t leave anyone thirsty, and makes sense given the changing climate.
