http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

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A group of 35 Texas Congressional members sent a letter to President Obama, requesting that his administration intervene on Texas’ behalf concerning Mexico’s fulfillment of the 1944 Water Treaty. The group is frustrated that Mexico has not regularly delivered water it owes the U.S. and wants the highest levels of the U.S. government to act on the matter since the issue has not been resolved by the International Boundary and Water Commission. The treaty states that Mexico has to deliver 1,750,000 acre-feet of water to the U.S. every five years. The Monitor (McAllen, Texas), Sept. A number of U.S. congressmen, are seeking President Obama’s involvement with the desperate water supply situation in South Texas and sent drought maps to show that Mexico was not in such dire drought that they could not release water into the Rio Grande River to provide relief to South Texas communities. Congressmen signing the letter were U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville; Ruben Hinojosa, D-Mercedes; Henry Cuellar, D–Laredo; Pete Gallegos, D-Alpine, and Beto O’ Rourke, D-El Paso. The governor of Texas has also requested intervention from the president. The U.S. State Department and the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission have not been able to persuade Mexico to release more water in addition to the inadequate amount that they have already released. Brownsville Herald (Texas), April 11, 2013 Mexico began releasing water from one reservoir into the Rio Grande River on April 5 and stated that one-third of the water was intended for the U.S. Water from certain tributaries flowing into the Rio Grande River is also for the U.S., so South Texas will get additional water when Mexico receives rainfall. U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville urged the U.S. government to push Mexico to release the water it owes the U.S. so South Texas municipalities and farmers get the water they desperately need. Brownsville Herald (Texas), April 8, 2013 Four congressmen from South Texas sent a letter on Feb. 14 to Eduardo Medina Mora, Mexico’s ambassador to the United States, and Edward Drusina, commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission urging them to assist with getting Mexico to deliver the water it owes, according to the 1944 Guadalupe Treaty. Leaders of several border communities reported that drought and the depleted Rio Grande River were not providing enough water for municipal and agricultural use. Brownsville Herald (Texas), Feb. 14, 2013