Valley farmers want action on Mexico water debt

By STEVE TAYLOR

The Brownsville Herald

AUSTIN The apparent lack of progress made by Presidents George W. Bush and

Mexican President Vicente Fox in resolving Mexicos mounting water debt to the

United States has left drought-stricken Rio Grande Valley farmers angry,

frustrated and desperate.

I was expecting a small, token, release of water to diffuse a volatile

situation, but Im not even sure weve got that, said Jo Jo White, general

manager of the Mercedes Irrigation District, the largest in the area.

Valley farmers are now desperate. Theyre on their knees. We can now see the

light at the end of the tunnel as far as running out of water is concerned.

While acknowledging that border security was always going to be top of the

agenda at the two-day presidential summit in Monterrey, Valley farmers were

hoping for some statement of intent from Bush and Fox on how Mexico would

honor its treaty obligations.

Under a 1944 treaty, Mexico is required to deliver 350,000 acre-feet of water

into the Rio Grande from the Rio Conchos and other northern Mexico tributaries

each year. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, the amount necessary to cover one

acre of land with one foot with water.

According to the International Boundary and Water Commission, Mexico owes the

United States almost 1.5 million-acre-feet of water. Additionally, Mexico has

released only half of the 600,000 acre-feet of water it promised under a

minute order signed by Bush and Fox in March 2001.

Gov. Rick Perry raised the profile of the long-running dispute Wednesday with

a rousing speech at a farmers rally in Weslaco. Perry, who had earlier sent a

report to Secretary of State Colin Powell protesting Mexicos actions, said

the summit meeting was the last opportunity Mexico had to resolve the debt

through diplomatic channels.

On Thursday, having spoken at length to Bush at a pre-summit meeting in El

Paso, Perry said he was confident Fox would honor his countrys treaty

commitments.

Edinburg citrus grower Hector Perez questioned Perrys motives and said few of

the farmers he had spoken to had held out hope of a breakthrough at the

summit.

Its an election year and Gov. Perry is a good politician, said Perez, of

Perez Farms. I didnt think anything substantial was going to be achieved in

Monterrey. I think Texas has to come up with other ways of getting water to

South Texas. We have to forget about the Rio Grande.

Perez, whose main crop is tangerines, said he expected to be told there would

be no more water some time this summer. Just when we need it most.

Gene Acua, Perrys spokesman, said late Friday that the governor would make

no statements on the outcome of the summit until after he had heard from the

State Department.

Alan Spelce, a spokesman for Agriculture Commission-er Susan Combs, said she

was spending Friday at her ranch and would be unavailable for comment.

White said he now wanted Perry to deliver on his promise to fight for Valley

farmers by taking retaliatory action against Mexico.

Gov. Perry finally roared on Wednesday with his rousing message of support

for farmers. Hopefully, he will follow through even if it is not politically

expedient to do so, White said. Hes talked the talk. Hes got to be ready

to walk the walk.

Perry intimated that retaliatory action could include a boycott of Mexican

produce, withholding the 1.4 million acre-feet of Colorado River water

delivered to Mexico each year or the 60,000 acre-feet of water from the upper

Rio Grande delivered to Mexico under a 1907 treaty.