US EditionRio Grande Water Crisis Imperils 15 Million in US, Mexico
Irrigated agriculture consumes 87% of water, with 52% of usage unsustainable, risking farmland loss and water shortages for 15 million people, researchers warn.
- On Nov. 20, a study led by Brian Richter found the Rio Grande–Bravo basin in crisis, supplying 15 million people while 52% of water use is unsustainable.
- Irrigated agriculture consumes the bulk of basin water, accounting for 87% of direct use with cattle‑feed crops such as alfalfa driving overconsumption, while evaporation and vegetation uptake cause more than half of overall consumption.
- Among observed impacts, farmland loss and threatened species stand out as surface water dries by June, with farmers along Pecos and Rio Conchos receiving no surface supplies, Richter said, `A key part of this is really connecting the urban populations to what's going on out on these farms. These farmers are really struggling. A lot of them are on the brink of bankruptcy.`
- A raft of solutions is being considered across jurisdictions as Colorado water managers threaten well shutoffs and New Mexico’s voluntary fallowing program awaits U.S. Supreme Court settlement approval; researchers propose rotational fallowing and infrastructure investments.
- Across the West, researchers note a broader pattern of overuse, with the Northern Arizona University FEWSION Project linking Rio Grande declines to the Colorado River and Great Salt Lake.
62 Articles
62 Articles
Study: Rio Grande basin at serious risk from overuse of water
A new study, powered by Northern Arizona University's FEWSION Project, shows that farmers, communities and ecosystems in the Rio Grande basin are facing a severe water shortage after decades of overconsumption and drought. Without quick and decisive action, especially from farmers, the region is facing a genuine emergency.
A drying-up Rio Grande basin threatens water security on both sides of the border
Researchers have completed a full accounting of water uses and losses in the Rio Grande-Bravo basin as it faces severe shortages throughout its range in the United States and Mexico. The findings released Thursday by the World Wildlife Fund, Sustainable Waters and a team of university researchers show unsustainable use threatens water security for millions of people who rely on the binational basin. They estimate that just 48% of water consumed …
A drying-up Rio Grande basin threatens water security on both sides of the border
One of North America's longest rivers, the Rio Grande—or Rio Bravo as it's called in Mexico—has a history as deep as it is long. Indigenous people have tapped it for countless generations, and it was a key artery for Spanish conquistadors centuries ago.
A drying-up Rio Grande basin threatens water security on both sides of the border
Researchers have completed a full accounting of water uses and losses in the Rio Grande-Bravo basin as it faces severe shortages throughout its range in the United States and Mexico. The findings released Thursday by the World Wildlife Fund, Sustainable…
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