SPENCER CIHAK: Thank you, Rob. I'm Spencer Cihak, happy to be joined once again by Rio Grande Valley Business Journal Managing Editor, Naxiely Lopez-Puente. Thank you once again for taking the time.
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Of course. Thank you so much, Spencer, for having us on again.
SPENCER CIHAK: Last time we spoke, this water dispute was escalating. Since then, President Trump threatened tariffs and Mexico agreed to release the water. What happened?
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Well, like we talked about last week, you know, this was no longer just a water issue. As soon as President Trump threatened a 5 percent tariff on all goods from Mexico, that really spurred a change, and the Mexican President responded pretty quickly. And you know, Mexico did agree to release some of the water that it owes the US.
SPENCER CIHAK: Would you describe this tariff threat as a turning point in these negotiations?
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Absolutely, and, you know, and it's not just me. We received a letter from the Texas International Produce Association, which, for those that don't know, is a nonprofit that represents every company, anybody that touches produce, whether it's imported or it's grown here. And so the farmers here really credited President Trump for his threat and for moving the issue forward. So yeah, that that threat really did cause some positive consequences for our Valley growers.
SPENCER CIHAK: What exactly did Mexico agree to?
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Every five years, Mexico is supposed to deliver about 1.7 million acre feet of water. And so for those that don't know what an acre foot of water, it's basically the amount of water that it would take to flood an acre, which is about the size of a football field, in one foot of water. To put that into perspective, that is an acre foot of water is about half of an Olympic sized swimming pool. And so in any case, Mexico was supposed to deliver 1.7 million acre feet, and this cycle would just end it in October as of then, they still owed about half of that amount. So they still owe about 800,000 acre feet of water to the US. And so what Mexico agreed to do was, 'Hey, we don't have all of it right now, we can't release those 800 acre feet, but you know what? We'll give you 25 percent.' And so Mexico has agreed to release about 200,000 acre feet of water. 400,000, you know. Put it more or less into perspective.
SPENCER CIHAK: Does that mean water is finally moving into the valley?
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: I can't say for sure. If those deliveries have already happened, but they were supposed to start this week as early as Monday. But whether that has happened or not, I can't say for sure.
SPENCER CIHAK: And what does that mean for the farmers in the valley?
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: So the farmers are glad, right? But you have to understand that farming isn't, you know, this water delivery is sort of a one time thing, right? And with the idea that they're going to keep giving water, but farmers are kind of concerned that, you know, Mexico hasn't kept its word before, and so when it comes to farming, they're still very skeptical, because they have to plan ahead, right they have to plan in cycles. And so just because there's water right now doesn't mean that next year there'll be water. And so they're still concerned.
SPENCER CIHAK: Looking ahead to next year. What conversations are being had right now to keep this crisis from happening again.
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Sure. So some of the things that our local congressional representatives are suggesting is, like we talked about last week, adding some of these provisions into the USMCA. Because under the USMCA, which is going to come up for review next year, there is a provision that basically talks about shared resources between the three countries. And if the Rio Grande River is not one of the most important resources that we share with Mexico, and I don't know what is.
SPENCER CIHAK: Bottom line, did this solve the water crisis in South Texas?
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Unfortunately, not. You know, this is not the entire solution. It helps. But our water needs extend much further than just the water that Mexico owes us. So it does help. But, you know, there's, there's still other issues to address.
SPENCER CIHAK: You've talked about those negotiations next year. Is there anything else people should keep an eye on going into 2026.
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Really the like you said, those biggest things are making sure that Mexico continues to deliver its water right, and then seeing if it is eventually tied to the USMCA.
SPENCER CIHAK: Rio Grande Valley Business Journal Managing Editor, naxie Lopez Puente, thank you so much for taking the time today.
NAXIELY LOPEZ-PUENTE: Absolutely. Thank you, Spencer.
