Mexico and the U.S. agreement on Rio Grande basin

Mexico and the U.S. reached an agreement that involves Mexico immediately sending more water from their shared Rio Grande basin to Texas farmers after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs and sanctions.

• Both countries had agreed that the 1944 treaty regulating how the water is shared was still beneficial for both countries and not in need of renegotiation.

• Under the treaty, Mexico must deliver 17,50,000 acre-feet of water to the U.S. from six tributaries every five years, or an average of 3,50,000 every year.

• An acre-foot is the amount of water needed to cover an acre of land to a depth of a foot.

Rio Grande

• The Rio Grande is a major river in North America, originating in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado and flowing roughly 1,900 miles (3,060 km) to the Gulf of Mexico.

• It forms the border between the United States and Mexico for a significant portion of its length.