Adrian Hernandez/THE RIDER
The Rio Grande Valley has made various innovations to maintain water resources given the region’s heavy reliance on surface-level water, which has had lower-water levels for years now, according to an environmental professor.
The Rio Grande River, along with its major reservoirs, Falcon Lake and Amistad, is the region’s primary water source.
Jude Benavides, a UTRGV professor of hydrology and environmental sciences, said although recent reservoir levels are “lower than average,” the Valley will not run out of water anytime soon.
“Falcon Reservoir … is 21% full [and] Amistad Reservoir is almost 40% full,” Benavides said. “These are western reservoirs, they are … almost never 100% full.”
As of Sept. 16, the reservoir data supported this listing with Falcon Reservoir at 21.1% and Amistad Reservoir at 38.9%.
However, Martin Castro, watershed science director at the Rio Grande International Study Center, provided alternative measurements from the International Boundary and Water Commission website, which account for Mexico’s share of the reservoir, with 24% for Amistad and 17% for Falcon.
Despite using different measurement methods, both experts said prolonged decline in reservoir levels and emphasized the importance of expanding the Valley’s water resources.
Castro said there has been a “steady decrease in both reservoirs” and emphasized that reliance on one main water source could be risky.
“The Rio Grande Valley is already an overstressed, overburdened river system,” he said. “It cannot continue to be our single source of drinking water and if it will be, we need to find alternative solutions to reduce demand, conserve as much water as we can and maximize what we have available to us.”
Similarly, Benavides said he acknowledged the Valley is always going to be “challenged for water supply” and said it is important to diversify the water supply and become less reliant solely on the river.
Regarding alternative water sources, Benavides said “desalination is one way we can lessen our threat of potentially running out of water in the river.”
Adrian Hernandez/THE RIDER
He added a day where the region completely runs out of water is unlikely due to the various innovations already in place.
“[It’s] very cost effective to desalinate and that’s why Brownsville, Texas is the state’s second largest brackish groundwater desalination plant and that [Southmost Regional Water Authority] plant was built 25 years ago in anticipation for more water demand then there is in the river,” Benavides said.
As a former member of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board, he provided insights into how effective the desalination projects could be.
“Before we built the SRWA brackish groundwater plant, [Brownsville] got almost 95% to 98% of its water directly from the river,” Benavides said. “After the SRWA was built it was producing about 7 million gallons of water a day from brackish groundwater.”
He added the brackish groundwater plant dropped reliance on the river to about 75% to 80%.
“The rest of the Valley is moving a little bit towards groundwater desalination,” Benavides said. “And in my professional opinion, should continue to do so.”
McAllen is among the cities planning to expand its use of desalination, according to Marco Vega, general manager of McAllen Public Utilities.
Vega said McAllen’s first desalination project is planned for 2030 and is estimated to cost around $200 million.
He said McAllen’s desalination project will be “very similar” to what Brownsville is doing and that officials are looking to duplicate the exact project.
Vega said there was already a $14 increase in the water bill last year in October to help fund the project and hopefully the rate increase could help fund the entire project.
He added McAllen’s desalination project can support the cities of Edinburg and Mission when needed.
Vega said the desalination project plans to address future water concerns, including issues related to unkept water pipeage and Mexico’s delayed water deliveries, similar to the Brownsville desalination plant.
Vega emphasized the need to “look ahead” and avoid conditions similar to the Corpus Christi water crisis.
While desalination provides an alternative water source, Castro emphasized a contributing factor to proper preparation is public education.
“Education is … a really big part in this,” Castro said. “Cities need to have a very solid plan to educate its people.”
