The U.S. Supreme Court has sanctioned a compact involving Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado concerning the water rights of the Rio Grande. This decision comes after Texas brought a lawsuit against the two upstream states over a decade ago, accusing them of diverting water from the river before it reached Texas.
The legal battle began in 2013, with Texas claiming that New Mexico and Colorado were unfairly siphoning off water from the Rio Grande, particularly impacting a segment of the river between the Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico and the Texas border. With the court’s approval of the agreement, New Mexico and Colorado are now obligated to fulfill their water delivery commitments to ensure that sufficient water flows downstream to Texas.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton hailed the agreement as a significant victory for the residents and economy of Texas, emphasizing its importance for local farmers and families who rely on the Rio Grande for their daily water needs. He expressed gratitude for the Supreme Court’s endorsement of the compact, which he believes will help secure the water resources essential for sustaining Texas communities.
The Rio Grande, one of the longest rivers in the United States, stretches nearly 1,900 miles from the San Juan Mountains in Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, forming much of the border between Texas and Mexico along its course.
