PHOENIX - The United States and Mexico are close to an agreement that would end a simmering dispute over repaying Mexico's water debt to the United States, a controversial issue that threatened to drive a wedge between the two countries, a U.S. diplomat said on the weekend.
Jeffrey Davidow, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, said an announcement by both federal governments could be made "within a few days" to resolve a water crisis, which has drawn harsh complaints from drought-stricken Texas farmers worried they are being robbed of water they need for their crops. "You will see some decisions announced that will make available a quantity of water sufficient for farmers of Texas to begin their planting and do their work," Davidow told Reuters at the Conference of Border Governors in Phoenix.
The ambassador said the water pact would be crafted so that it "will not endanger supplies in Mexico," a major issue of concern in the discussions between the two nations.
Under a 1944 treaty, Mexico must allow at least 350,000 acre-feet of water into the Rio Grande each year from various tributaries inside Mexico. One acre-foot is the equivalent of the quantity of water needed to cover an acre of land, or 325,851 gallons.
But Mexico, like the American West, is being hit hard by a severe drought that has endangered its crops and area residents. As a result, the country has run up an estimated 1.5 million acre-foot water debt on its U.S. obligation.
The unresolved issue forced Mexican President Vicente Fox to postpone a Texas visit scheduled for this month to give his government more time to devise a workout plan. He has said he would have a proposal by the end of June.
Fox is said to be under intense pressure from Mexico's border states, fearing that any deal would cut their access to water.
But on the weekend, the tone at the meeting was of cooperation and the message was that steps needed to be taken today to ensure an adequate water supply in the future. The issue took the spotlight with such hot topics as illegal immigration and terrorism during the two-day meeting.
A resolution passed at the conference calls for a focus on improving water infrastructure on both sides of the border, bettering conservation efforts and management of the precious resource. It also seeks more federal money to help do the job.
Enrique Martinez y Martinez, governor of the state of Coahuila, called the water situation "a defining element" that must be faced aggressively in the 21st century. He said improvements must be made in irrigation systems, crop selection and water conservation.
Patricio Martinez Garcia, governor of the state of Chihuahua, echoed his colleagues' concerns about an issue that has become "a constant factor" along the sprawling border.
"We must be prudent, we must be united," Garcia told conference attendees. "We cannot leave this up to ... the vicissitudes of Mother Nature."
Missing from the final signing ceremony on the weekend was Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a key player in the water debt issue. Officials said he had other obligations in the state.:
