News: Mexican Water Debt

U.S. and Mexico Announce Plan to Repay Water Debt

The U.S. State Department announced March 10 that Mexico will provide sufficient water to cover the outstanding deficit no later than the end of September 2005. This water is in addition to the minimum annual average of 350,000 A/F required under the treaty.

Mexico ended the prior two water accounting cycles (1992-2002) with a cumulative deficit of over 1.3 million acre-feet (A/F). As of October 1, 2004, the deficit had been reduced to 716,670 A/F.

According to a State Department press release:

"An exchange of diplomatic notes will formalize the understanding of the two governments in this regard. Mexico has met the minimum average volume required under the treaty in the first two years of the current water accounting cycle (2002-2007), and as of February 26 had delivered 125,840 A/F to be applied to the treaty requirement for year three of the current cycle. We anticipate Mexico will deliver an additional 224,160 A/F of water from the measured treaty tributaries before the third year closes at the end of September."

See comments from:
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
Texas Gov. Rick Perry
IBWC Commissioner Arturo Duran

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