Chapter 2 Regional Summaries - Texas Water Development Board

2 Summary of
Rio Grande (M) Region
The Rio Grande Regional Water Planning
Area includes eight counties, with over
60 percent of the region lying within the
Rio Grande Basin.
The Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Area includes eight counties, with over 60 percent of the region
lying within the Rio Grande Basin (Figure M.1). Its major cities include Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo.
The international reservoirs of the Rio Grande are the region’s primary source of water. Portions of two major
aquifers, the Gulf Coast and the Carrizo-Wilcox, lie under a large portion of the Rio Grande Region. The largest
economic sectors in the region are agriculture, trade, services, manufacturing, and hydrocarbon production. The
2011 Rio Grande (M) Regional Water Plan can be found on the TWDB Web site at https://www.twdb.state.tx.us/
wrpi/rwp/3rdRound/2011_RWP/RegionM/.
PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
• Additional supply needed in 2060—609,906 acre-feet per year
• Recommended water management strategy volume in 2060—673,846 acre-feet per year
• Total capital cost—$2.2 billion
• Conservation accounts for 43 percent of 2060 strategy volumes
• Two new major reservoirs (Brownsville Weir, Laredo Low Water Weir)
• Significant unmet irrigation needs
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Chapter 2: rio grande (M) region summary
WAT E R FOR TEXAS 2012 STATE WATER PLAN