Mexico Reaffirms Its Commitment to the 1944 Water Treaty and Binational Cooperation Amid Extreme Drought in the Rio Grande Basin

Mexico reached an agreement with the United States to strengthen water management in the Rio Grande basin under the 1944 Water Treaty. The Government of Mexico emphasizes that it has not violated any of its provisions.

During a period marked by an extraordinary and unprecedented drought that has affected users in both countries, Mexico has made additional deliveries, always in accordance with the Treaty, water availability, and the operational and infrastructure limitations of the region, without affecting water for human consumption and agricultural production at the border.

The actions taken over the past year demonstrate that Mexico is meeting its obligations according to actual water availability, without affecting the human right to water and food production, and will continue to do so under the Treaty and through binational cooperation.

In recent weeks, both countries have worked intensively and in coordination to establish a technical roadmap that improves management of the current cycle and addresses the deficit from the previous cycle, as established in Article 4 of the Treaty, with full respect for binational processes and the sovereignty of each country.

In this regard, the Government of Mexico reiterates its willingness to collaborate constructively with the Government of the United States without affecting the interests of its people and the nation, to ensure mutually beneficial implementation in accordance with the stipulations of the Treaty, recognizing that this is a shared challenge requiring close coordination and sustained cooperation.

MEXICO-US JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ ON WATER DISTRIBUTION

1. Mexico and the United States have reached an understanding on water management for the current cycle and the previous cycle's water deficit under the 1944 Water Treaty.
2. Both countries acknowledge the critical importance of water sharing obligations under the 1944 Treaty and their impact on our citizens, and reaffirm the need to increase engagement to improve timely management of water.
3. Mexico intends to release 202,000 acre-feet of water to the United States with deliveries expected to commence the week of December 15, 2025.
4. A series of actions to meet the treaty obligations have been reviewed, including timely repayment of the outstanding deficit from the previous water cycle, in accordance to the 1944 Water Treaty. The two governments are in negotiations and intend to finalize the plan by January 31, 2026.
5. Both countries concur on the importance of continuing to work cooperatively within the framework of the 1944 Water Treaty and the CILA/IBWC. In the event of noncompliance, each country can act sovereignly, in accordance to its national interests, subject to its international treaty obligations.