Water Rights
The seven states that depend on the Colorado River must agree on how to manage the river’s dwindling water by Feb. 14. If they don’t, the feds could step in and litigation could follow.
South Texas farmer Brian Jones says years of missed water deliveries from Mexico have cut his planted acres in half, forcing tough planting decisions as a new agreement brings both hope and skepticism.
Water will always be a big topic for produce and ag in general, but 2025 saw some big milestones in water news.
A recent impact report out of Westlands Water District in California found wide-reaching ripple effects of water restrictions for San Joaquin Valley growers.
The most recent “Minute,” or amendment, to the 1944 Treaty between the U.S. and Mexico was just signed, but what even are Minutes in the context of the water treaty?
Following the threat of added tariffs, Mexico has agreed to send 202,000 acre-feet to Texas starting Dec. 15, but it’s unclear where this water will come from, as is how useful it will be to Texas growers.
Central California grower groups and irrigation districts are applauding the new move from the Bureau of Reclamation, but not everyone in the state is convinced.
EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers unveiled a revised rule on Monday aimed at clearer permitting and fewer regulatory surprises, such as narrowing which water features fall under federal oversight and confirming exclusions.
Mexico ended the most recent five-year cycle for delivering Rio Grande water having only delivered 50.5% of the total water due.
While Nebraska’s lawsuit claims stolen water and stonewalling, Colorado says there’s no case since there’s no canal.
The USCMA could create water delivery enforcement mechanisms for the 1944 water treaty, so leaders urged those impacted by Mexican water delivers to submit comments to the USTR by Oct. 30.
In the heart of California’s Central Valley, generations of farm families are facing a new kind of crisis: what farmers argue is a man-made drought. It’s mounting water regulations that could determine whether the most fertile farmland in the nation survives.
As Texas produce growers face a likely fourth year in a row of low water because of Mexico failing to deliver enough water, the upcoming USMCA renewal could help prevent the pattern in the future.
Lack of water deliveries from Mexico to Texas meant the end of the state’s sugar industry. Today, it threatens other key elements of South Texas agriculture and communities.
There are only two months left for Mexico to deliver almost a million acre-feet of water. While it might deliver some, the impacts on Texas growers are going to be tough.
Despite mostly full reservoirs, water districts serving agriculture in the state’s most productive region aren’t getting enough water, highlighting outdated water infrastructure.
EPA says it will release a proposed final WOTUS rule this summer for public comment, expecting the rule will be finalized before the end of 2025.
While Mexico promised more water under the 1944 treaty, U.S. growers say they need more water certainty, for Chihuahua to play by the rules, and treaty enforcement.
Colorado State University engineer advises water industry workers on how to collaborate with irrigators on water supply planning.
The plan would change the way the state deals with property acquisition and water rights permitting protests relative to water infrastructure projects.
Dozens of speakers told EPA and the Corps that ag has borne the brunt of unclear, inconsistent regulations for too long.
State-level commenters highlight the need for cooperative federalism and the importance of flexibility during EPA listening session.
U.S. officials and lawmakers have complained that Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations under the treaty is harming Texas farmers. Mexico has argued that it is under drought conditions that have strained the country’s water resources.
Virtual and in-person gatherings about terms for “waters of the United States” are set to begin next week, with the agricultural session scheduled for May 1.