Does the Rio Grande provide drinking water?


Does the Rio Grande provide drinking water? Population growth has also been a factor, particularly in Mexico, where the population has nearly doubled since 2005, and nearly 6 million people depend on the Rio Grande River and related groundwater basins for drinking water.


What is the crisis on the Rio Grande?

The river is in decline, suffering from overuse, drought, and contentious water rights negotiations. Urban and rural border communities with poor infrastructure, known as colonias, are particularly vulnerable to the water crisis. Farmers and cities in southern Texas and northern Mexico are also affected.


Where does the Rio Grande supply water to?

El Paso receives nearly half its annual water supply from the Rio Grande. River flows that arrive in El Paso primarily originate from snowmelt runoff in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. However, water delivery to El Paso is complex and regulated.


Where is the Rio Grande drying up?

For the second time in 40 years, New Mexico's largest river will likely run dry in Albuquerque, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District announced last week, and a lack of water storage in Northern New Mexico is partly to blame.


Why is the Rio Grande so important?

Today, the 20th-longest river in the world is also one of the ten most endangered. The Rio Grande is still vital to its communities and visitors: agriculture, mining, and recreation are the three top industries along this river and form the base of our local economy. It's our responsibility to keep it thriving!


What is most of the water in the Rio Grande used for?

Diversions for municipal and agricultural use already claim some 95 percent of the Rio Grande's average annual flow, and Elephant Butte's gates now only open during a short irrigation season.


Can I swim in the Rio Grande river?

Avoid prolonged exposure to the river water (i.e., don't spend long periods of time swimming). Avoid immersing your head in the water. Avoid swimming where you can see discharge pipes.