Water Scarcity Across Borders

Background
Water scarcity on the Mexican border is an ongoing issue that only continues to get more urgent in addressing.  The United States and Mexico are tussling over their dwindling shared water supplies after years of unprecedented heat and insufficient rainfall. Sustained drought on the middle-lower Rio Grande since the mid-1990s means less Mexican water flows to the U.S. The Colorado River Basin, which supplies seven U.S. states and two Mexican states, is also at record low levels. As planners we must take an ethical stand for our environment and for our communities by creating resilient and agricultural sensitive developments across the USA- Mexico Border.

Session Outline

1.The USA megadrought
2.Mexico and USA water rights agreements
3.Northern Mexico drought
4.Water management techniques and governance
5.Planning for arid landscapes
6.Lessons Learned
-Create awareness  about climate change and its repercussions in the Colorado River flow and water distribution.
-Understand how newly developed communities, existing communities and agricultural development is being affected by water scarcity.
-Reimagine policies and design techniques that create water equity for the region, counties, communities, and environment.
7. Q&A