Rio Grande compact between Texas, New Mexico, Colorado approved by Supreme Court
FILE – Texas plans to take over small Rio Grande island
There are now plans in the works for Texas to legally acquire a small island in the Rio Grande River as a part of addressing the ongoing Southern border crisis.
AUSTIN, Texas - The U.S. Supreme Court has approved a compact between Texas, New Mexico and Colorado related to water rights of the Rio Grande.
What we know:
New Mexico and Colorado were sued by Texas in 2013. According to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the states were accused of unfairly siphoning water from the river before it reached Texas. Officials said much of the dispute was focused on a stretch of the river between Elephant Butte Reservoir in New Mexico and the Texas border.
The approved agreement means New Mexico and Colorado must meet their delivery obligations to ensure water makes it downstream to Texas, according to the Texas Attorney General’s Office.
Landscape views of the Chihuahua Desert and the Rio grande River along the Texas-Mexican border on April 11, 2026, in Big Bend National Park, Texas. (Andrew Lichtenstein/ Corbis / Getty Images)
What they're saying:
"The approval of this agreement is a historic win for the people of Texas, our economy, and our State’s water rights," said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. "My office has worked diligently for years to secure this settlement, and I am grateful that the Supreme Court has approved it. This agreement helps Texas farmers and families receive the water they depend on every single day from the Rio Grande."
Dig deeper:
The Rio Grande is the fourth-longest river in the U.S. It originates in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado and travels nearly 1,900 miles to the Gulf of America, passing through New Mexico and Texas along the way. The bulk of the river makes up the border between Texas and Mexico.
The Source: Information in this story came from the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Geological Survey.