South Texans Unite at The Deep South Texas State of Water Symposium

Pharr, Texas - On August 20, Texas Water Foundation co-hosted a water symposium with State Representative and Water Caucus member Terry Canales and the City of Pharr to discuss the State of Water in the Rio Grande Valley. The event united decision makers, water professionals, and community advocates to discuss shared challenges and opportunities for water security in the region. 

The Rio Grande Valley, which has historically relied on the Rio Grande for water, is facing critical supply issues as a result of drought, growing demand, and aging infrastructure. These issues, while prevalent across the state, are especially challenging along our southern border due to the 1944 International Treaty and the international collaboration required to affect change. The International Boundary and Water Commission participated in the event to provide updates on those negotiations, as well as infrastructure investments and hydrologic modeling.

As a nonpartisan convener, Texas Water Foundation had the unique opportunity to bring diverse stakeholders together to discuss regional opportunities to address future water security. Congresswoman De La Cruz, Congressman Gonzales, State Senator Hinajosa, and State Senator LaMantia participated in the event, signaling their interest and concern for the region’s water security. As State Representative Terry Canales put it, “We must approach this as a unified region. From Laredo to Brownsville, we are all connected by the same water sources and must work together.”

The Symposium’s almost 250 attendees gathered to hear about topics such as drought, its impact on Rio Grande flows, water demand patterns, utility challenges such as workforce and technical assistance, binational management complexities, and funding challenges. The goal of the symposium was to identify shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration.

The keynote speech of the event given by the Commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission, Maria Elena Giner, was accompanied by select speeches from Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez and State Representative Terry Canales. We also heard from four engaging panels featuring: 

As Texas looks at statewide water forecasts, and works to prioritize water funding, the Deep South Texas State of Water Symposium provided an opportunity for decision makers and legislative champions to look at opportunities for collaboration at a regional scale. Stay tuned for other Water Symposiums hosted by Texas Water Foundation on behalf of the Water Caucus. Read more about the Pharr Symposium on the City of Pharr website. 

Marissa Rodriguez