Lower Rio Grande is named as one of America’s most endangered rivers of 2025

PROGRESO, Texas – The lower portion of Rio Grande River, the nation’s third longest river and a critical source of drinking water for over two million people along the U.S.-Mexico border, has been named 5^th on American Rivers’ 2025 list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers®.

The river faces growing threats from water scarcity, poor water management, outdated infrastructure, and insufficient federal investment in its long-term health, according to a press release.

Stretching from Del Rio to the Gulf, the lower Rio Grande River supplies 100 percent of the drinking water for dozens of cities on both sides of the border and supports rural and urban communities, farms, native wildlife, and cultural traditions. There is also growing momentum amongst border communities to reconnect with the Rio Grande River. Yet it remains one of the least-funded and most overlooked major river basins in the United States, the release stated.

River flow has been reduced by more than 30 percent in recent decades, according to the latest International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) data. Today, less than one fifth of the river’s flows reach the Gulf.

“We support the increased attention given to the Lower Rio Grande, since our agency is committed to protecting this crucial river basin and the communities that depend on it,” Dr. Maria-Elena Giner, P.E., commissioner of the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission said, before recently leaving office. “We recently negotiated Minute 331 with Mexico to improve the reliability and predictability of Rio Grande water deliveries, and our utilization of a collaborative scientific approach to understanding the river’s past, present, and future will help users prepare for reduced flows.”

Southwest Regional Director for American Rivers Matt Rice said, “A river that sustains richly diverse communities, an invaluable agricultural economy and important wildlife habitat is disappearing before our eyes.”

Extreme heat, prolonged drought, and growing demand continue to put unsustainable pressure on the river and its two primary international reservoirs, Amistad and Falcon. 

“The Lower Rio Grande is in crisis, and it’s time the federal government treated it as such,” Martin Castro, Watershed Science Director at the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC) said. “We need funding for water security, conservation, and dam repairs — and we need it now. This river is our lifeline.”

In Eagle Pass, Texas, the state’s border security initiative has led to residents feeling like their access to the Rio Grande has been unjustly restricted.

“A river cannot speak for itself — that’s why it needs us,” Jessie Fuentes, an Eagle Pass resident and member of the Eagle Pass Border Coalition said. “The Rio Grande is a sacred source of life, connecting our land, wildlife, and communities. If we don’t protect it now, the damage may be irreversible.”

American Rivers and its partners at the RGISC are calling on Texas lawmakers to support federal appropriations for implementation of Minute 331, the new U.S.-Mexico agreement that created a long-awaited Binational Environmental Working Group, restoration of river flows and water quality, and critical repairs to Amistad Dam, which safeguards drinking water supplies and regional infrastructure.

“We have a chance to shift the narrative and secure the future of this river,” Tricia Cortez, executive director of RGISC said. “It’s time to invest in our communities and in a thriving Rio Grande for generations to come.”

Rick Archer, founding principal Overland Partners Architects, said the river has been neglected long enough.

“Through the Binational River Conservation Project, we’re addressing urgent environmental challenges while creating a shared public space that restores the river’s natural and cultural significance,” Archer added.

 “We welcome the call for greater attention and investment to conserve the Rio Grande. The economic, commercial, population and cultural growth along the river, coupled with the ongoing drought in the watershed, is placing unprecedented strain on the primary water source for South Texas border communities,” John Beckham, managing director of the North American Development Bank (NADBank) said.

American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. AmericanRivers.org

Founded in 1994, the Rio Grande International Study Center (RGISC) is an environmental advocacy group whose mission is to protect and preserve our only source of drinking water, the Rio Grande, and our regional environment for present lives and future generations. Our focus areas include water security, river restoration, air quality, habitat protection, community engagement, and climate justice. We seek to protect our South Texas region from the impacts of climate change by restoring nature and natural systems. Since our founding 30 years ago, RGISC has unapologetically worked to bring impacted voices to the decision-making table using science, cultural organizing, and creative actions.

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