Both Texas and Mexico depend on this dry river for their water. The situation is international, so it is hard to control.

Crops in the Valley are being threatened. The area is beginning to look for water elsewhere. The Rio Grande has a pilot desalination project.

West Texas is having problems. In El Paso , water restrictions are permanent. 200,000 low-volume showerheads have been given away. 5,000 water citations were handed out last year with fines up to $500 for class C misdemeanors. El Paso dropped from 200 GPCD to 159 GPCD since their conservation measures became law.

El Paso is beginning to desalinate the brackish groundwater in the area.