Mohave Today

Washington, D.C.-- Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-09), has called on the Biden administration to investigate Mexico's failure to meet its obligations under a 1944 water treaty. The treaty requires Mexico to supply the United States with water from the Rio Grande River, while the U.S. provides water to Mexico from the Colorado River.

In a statement, Congressman Gosar stated, "I formally requested that the Biden administration investigate troubling disclosures that Mexico has failed to meet its side of treaty obligations to supply water to the United States. The United States has complied with its treaty obligations, Mexico has not. This lack of adherence to the treaty is unacceptable."

Highlighting the seriousness of the situation, Congressman Gosar suggested that if Mexico continues to ignore its responsibilities, the United States should take unilateral action to remedy the breach. This could involve withholding Colorado River water from Mexico and storing it in Lake Mead or distributing it to other users.

The Congressman's concerns are backed by reports that Mexico is significantly behind in meeting its water treaty obligations. Under the 1944 treaty, the United States is required to provide Mexico with 1.5 million acre-feet of water every year from the Colorado River, while Mexico must supply the United States with 1.75 million acre-feet of water from tributaries of the Rio Grande river every five years.

However, Mexico is currently 600,000 acre-feet of water short, which accounts for 39% of the total amount that Mexico needs to have provided in order to keep pace with the provisions of the treaty. This failure to deliver water on time is not a recent occurrence, as the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality claims that Mexico has been failing to provide timely water delivery for the past 30 years.

The impact of Mexico's non-compliance is particularly felt by the six million people in Texas who rely on the Rio Grande for drinking water. Despite the water scarcity faced by Arizona and other Colorado River states, they have fully supported the transfer of water to Mexico in accordance with the treaty.

Congressman Gosar's call for an investigation into Mexico's failure to comply with the water treaty highlights the urgent need for action. The United States has upheld its end of the agreement, and it is crucial for Mexico to fulfill its obligations to ensure a fair and sustainable allocation of water resources.

The Department of Interior has been requested to initiate an investigation into the matter, and it remains to be seen how the Biden administration will respond to these troubling disclosures.

To find out more, go to this link: https://gosar.house.gov/news/email/show.aspx?ID=XHECZDCF3I66T5ZAEHETMOUDHY