Mercedes, Texas, a region typically known for its rich agricultural output, is facing a severe crisis as persistent drought conditions decimate local farms. England Cattle Company, a long-standing farm in Mercedes, exemplifies the dire situation, with vast fields parched and desperate for water. Michael England, the farm’s owner, recently shared his firsthand account with FOX Weather, highlighting the devastating impact of the ongoing weather patterns on his livelihood and the broader agricultural community in South Texas.
The closure of the last sugar mill in Texas due to water scarcity served as a grim precursor to the challenges now confronting farmers across the region. For Michael England, this meant the loss of 500 acres of sugarcane, a crop that once thrived on his land. Despite the fertile soil, his fields remain barren, a stark testament to the crippling lack of water. While he managed to plant a small portion of his 2,500 acres with crops like cotton, sorghum, and corn, even these are under severe threat due to the relentless dry weather in Mercedes, Texas.
“The critical issue for all irrigated farmers like myself is water,” England explained. “Our reservoirs are practically empty due to the lack of inflows. This year, we’ve only been able to plant a fraction of our land, and even that feels like a significant gamble given the unpredictable weather.”
Crop Failure Looms as Weather in Mercedes, Texas Worsens
England’s farming operation relies entirely on flood irrigation, drawing water from the Rio Grande, located approximately 10 miles from his farm. However, the Rio Grande basin has plummeted to alarming lows, reaching record-breaking levels according to the National Weather Service, mirroring the extreme weather Mercedes, Texas has been experiencing. This drastic decrease in water availability has brought irrigation to a near standstill, pushing farms to the brink of collapse.
“While we’ve faced water cutbacks in recent years, the current situation is unprecedented,” England stated. “We’re essentially operating with no water at all. The changing weather patterns over the years have been concerning, with significant droughts in 2002, 2008, and 2011. The 2011 drought even surpassed the severity of the 1955 drought. Now, we are in the third year of another severe drought cycle, and the impact on Mercedes, Texas agriculture is devastating.”
The severity of the drought has prompted Texas Governor Greg Abbott to extend a disaster proclamation for a large portion of South Texas, acknowledging the “exceptional drought conditions” as an imminent threat across numerous counties. This declaration, initially issued in July 2022, underscores the prolonged and deepening crisis impacting regions like Mercedes, Texas due to adverse weather.
The Broken Water Treaty and its Impact on Weather Mercedes Texas Agriculture
Compounding the weather-related challenges in Mercedes, Texas is the complex issue of water allocation from Mexico, governed by a 1944 water treaty. The Rio Grande River, a vital water source and international boundary with Mexico, is at the heart of this treaty.
“Our primary water source, the Rio Grande, is shared with Mexico under the 1944 treaty,” England explained. “Water is pumped from the river to various water districts and distributed across the valley through pipelines and canals. However, currently, all irrigation water has been cut off, reserved solely for municipal use due to the water shortage exacerbated by weather conditions in both Texas and Mexico.”
The economic repercussions of this water scarcity are substantial. Texas A&M University estimates that a complete cessation of irrigation water for crop production in the Lower Rio Grande Valley could result in a staggering $495.8 million in direct revenue losses, directly impacting communities like Mercedes, Texas.
Under the treaty, in exchange for water deliveries from the Colorado River to the U.S., Mexico is obligated to deliver water to Texas from Rio Grande tributaries. Mexico is supposed to release 1.1 million acre-feet of water every five years, averaging 350,000 acre-feet annually. However, the Texas Farm Bureau reports a deficit of over 736,000 acre-feet since the current cycle began in October 2020. This shortfall means Mexico would need to deliver the equivalent of three and a half years’ worth of water in the next year and a half to meet treaty obligations, a daunting prospect given the current weather patterns affecting water availability in both countries.
The closure of the Texas sugar mill and the struggles of farmers like England highlight the political dimensions of this water crisis. “Agriculture in the Rio Grande Valley depends on reliable irrigation water,” the mill stated in its closure announcement. “For over 30 years, South Texas farmers have struggled with Mexico’s non-compliance with the 1944 Water Treaty, which governs water sharing on the Colorado River and the Lower Rio Grande.”
Mexico attributes its treaty delivery delays to its own drought conditions. Manuel Morales, Secretary of the Mexican Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, acknowledged the delivery delays to the Texas Tribune, stating, “We do have a delay in water deliveries in the current cycle, that’s the reality, but we intend to mitigate that deficit as much as possible. We want to continue complying with the treaty.”
Faced with these challenges, England has drastically reduced his planted acreage. Out of 2,500 acres, he planted only 500 acres of cotton and 120 acres of sorghum. While the cotton is “still holding on,” its growth is stunted by the extreme drought conditions in Mercedes, Texas. His sorghum crop is in even worse condition, with shallow roots and signs of burning up under the relentless Texas sun, a direct consequence of the harsh weather Mercedes, Texas is enduring.
“I’ve decided if the sorghum doesn’t produce grain, I’ll harvest it for hay to support our cattle operation,” England said, adapting to the harsh realities. “But the majority of our land remains idle, a silent testament to the water crisis and the challenging weather in Mercedes, Texas.”
Texas, a leading cotton exporter in the US, with $1.7 billion in exports in 2020 and $5.8 billion in total agricultural exports (sixth highest in the nation), faces significant economic risks if the drought persists. The situation in Mercedes, Texas, and the wider Rio Grande Valley serves as a stark reminder of the critical impact of weather patterns on agriculture and the urgent need for sustainable water management solutions in the face of increasing climate variability.
