Giner: Water is also a pinch point for the Rio Grande Valley

MCALLEN, Texas – Do not forget about the shortage of water in South Texas.

This was the message Maria-Elena Giner, commissioner for the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, gave in response to remarks from a top economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas held a private meeting with Rio Grande Valley leaders recently. The meeting, held at Embassy Suites in McAllen, was not open to the press or public. The Dallas Fed called it a listening tour and sought feedback on the top issues facing the region.

Following the meeting, Roberto Coronado, a senior vice president and leading economist at the Dallas Fed, wrote this on social media:

“It is always a pleasure to visit the Rio Grande Valley and track the growth of this vibrant border region. On a recent trip, I heard from business and community leaders that the economy continues to diversify, as new industries move in and bring job opportunities in science, technology, engineering and more. The communities are preparing for more international trade through a variety of land and seaports.”

Roberto Coronado

Coronado continued: “In the past, the bottleneck for growth might have been financial capital. But now, with plenty of investment into the region, leaders tell me the pinch point is skilled labor. As the Dallas Fed convened leaders from across the RGV to discuss the regional economy, we also heard important discussions about how public and private institutions can collaborate on these job opportunities. As Juliet V. Garcia, former president of UT Brownsville, said during the visit: ‘Human capital is just as important as regular capital’.”

Coronado thanked Joe Quiroga, Lizzy de la Garza Putegnat, Christian Corrales, Joaquin Spamerand others for sharing their insights about the regional economy. “These partnerships are the heart of the Dallas Fed’s work to build a strong economy together,” he said.

Responding to Coronado’s post, IBWC leader Giner wrote: “I would also add that another pinch point is water.  The region depends 90 percent on the Rio Grande which has not only experienced consistent reductions but also variability since it depends on storm runoff.  Diversifying the region’s water sources, investing in conservation in agriculture, and building drought resiliency will be extremely important to support economic growth.”

Corrales, an assistant vice president for community engagement at UT-Rio Grande Valley, also responded to Coronado’s post. He said:

“As you rightly pointed out, while financial capital was once the primary constraint, the current challenge lies in the availability of skilled labor. The significant investments pouring into the region underscore the urgency of addressing this issue. The recent convening by the Dallas Fed, which brought together leaders from across the Rio Grande Valley, highlighted the importance of collaboration between public and private institutions. These discussions are pivotal in creating job opportunities and ensuring that our workforce is equipped to meet the demands of our growing economy.”

Corrales added: “Thank you, and thanks to the Dallas Fed, for helping drive these important conversations forward.”

Editor’s Note: Roberto Coronado said the Dallas Fed’s most recent update on the Texas economy can be found here.

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