South Texas is facing a water shortage, and farmers say Mexico is to blame

The Rio Grande Valley is one of the richest farming areas of Texas. The climate allows for raising crops year-round.

"It's shorter this year," said fourth-generation farmer Brian Jones, as he looked out on his acreage of milo, also known as grain sorghum. Farmers raise milo and sell it primarily as cattle feed. It's resilient in drought conditions and hot summers, but it won't make Jones as much money — he'd rather plant corn destined for dinner plates as tortillas or chips, that would sprout higher value.

The dearth of Mexican water delivery has caused the permanent shutdown of the region's sugar mill, resulting in roughly 150 jobs lost, as well as hundreds of other seasonal job opportunities. The size of the mill's 300-acre campus is proportional to the economic impact felt by its loss, which the chairman of the mill's board says is around $140 million a year.

The International Boundary and Water Commission is the binational body which enforces the treaty. IBWC spokesman Frank Fisher told Scripps News it remains concerned that Mexico is behind on its obligations, but that our neighbor to the south intends"to meet their treaty obligations to deliver water." But Fisher added,"a plan has not been shared with the U.S."

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