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Photos by James Whitlow Delano @jameswhitlowdelano for EverydayClimateChange @everydayclimatechange:
1. The US-built border fence ends suddenly, after tracing the dry Rio Grande Riverbed (right), through agricultural fields. Near Acala, Texas, USA.
Seasonally the Rio Grande River between southern New Mexico to the Rio Concho can dry out but the worst drought in 1,200 years has made the dry period longer. South of the El Paso area, a river from Mexico replenishes the river.
In the 1870’s large scale agricultural irrigation began north of the border. Since water records began in the early 20th century, the main source for the Rio Grande, through the Big Bend, has not been the Rio Grande. It has dried out upstream of the national park. The Rio Concho has become the primary water source for the Rio Grande. Now the Rio Concho is drying out because of the megadrought, in combination with Mexico’s water demands. The distance between where the Rio Grande dries out and it is revived by tributaries, is growing and the time window it dries out is becoming longer.
2. Sand fills the Rio Grande River bed on the Texas / New Mexico border. El Paso, Texas, USA.
Seasonally the Rio Grande River between southern New Mexico to the Rio Concho can dry out but the worst drought in 1,200 years has made the dry period longer.
#climatechange #drought #climatecrisis #riogrande #US-Mexicoborder #Texas #NewMexico #water
