The Texas Water Journal invited The Honorable Jayne Harkins, P.E., U.S. Commissioner for the International Boundary and Water Commission, to share her thoughts on water deliveries from Mexico to the Rio Grande in a commentary titled, “Commentary: Fact vs. Fiction on Rio Grande Deliveries.”
Two treaties, one from 1906 and one from 1944, govern water deliveries from Mexico. As of September 28, Mexico must deliver 294,703 acre-feet of water by October 24, 2020, which is the end of the five-year cycle. In the commentary, Commissioner Harkins addresses a series of misconceptions about the water deliveries, including about the rules of the treaties, where the water could come from and the water quality of potential deliveries.
President Donald Trump appointed commissioner Harkins in 2018. As commissioner, she serves as head of the U.S. Section of the Commission, overseeing personnel in twelve offices along the U.S.-Mexico border and in Washington, DC. The Commission is responsible for applying the boundary and water treaties between the two countries.
The Texas Water Journal, an online, peer-reviewed journal published by the nonprofit The Texas Water Journal and the Texas Water Resources Institute, publishes papers as they are complete. The journal has a commitment to the timely consideration of Texas water resources management, research and policy issues from a multidisciplinary perspective that integrates science, engineering, law, planning and other disciplines. It also provides updates on key state legislation and policy changes by Texas administrative agencies.
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