Continuing Collaboration for the Colorado River Delta

Today, water managers and policymakers from the United States and Mexico announced the September 2, 2026 signing of Minute 334, the newest addendum to the 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty governing shared management of the Colorado River. Developed in consultation with the Raise the River coalition of conservation organizations, Minute 334 extends nearly 15 years of binational cooperation into a new, more adaptive framework for managing the river amid historically dry conditions in the basin.

Raise the River Coalition's statement of support for Minute 334:

We commend the United States and Mexico for their continued leadership in binational Colorado River management. Minute 334 reflects a responsible, forward-looking response to a drier basin, while preserving the framework for environmental cooperation that has contributed to the restoration of the Colorado River Delta over the past decade.

“Minute 334 shows that the United States and Mexico remain committed to managing the Colorado River together, even as conditions grow more challenging. This agreement gives both countries the flexibility to adapt as the basin's water supply continues to change, while continuing to support habitat in the Colorado River Delta.” —Jennifer Pitt, Raise the River Steering Committee co-chair, and National Audubon Society Colorado River Program Director.

Minute 334 establishes a two-year agreement for binational Colorado River management, aligned with an expected two-year Colorado River operating plan in the United States. Importantly, the agreement includes commitments from the United States, Mexico, and the Raise the River coalition to care for restored habitats in the Colorado River Delta, and to maintain the scientific monitoring program established under Minute 323. Raise the River's own water holdings—secured over more than a decade of investment—remain sufficient to sustain the restoration sites developed in partnership with the United States and Mexico since 2012.

“The Colorado River Delta has shown us its resilience time and again. With the habitat and infrastructure we've built, and the water we've secured ourselves, we are well-positioned to protect what we've restored for nature and local communities, while the two countries navigate this drier period together. We look forward to the time when we can continue to expand the restored areas and the resulting benefits this provides to people within the Delta region.” —Francisco Zamora, Senior Director of Programs, Sonoran Institute.

For the upcoming two-year operating agreement, Raise the River will focus its on-the-ground work on long-term stewardship and protection—prioritizing the conservation and scientific monitoring of the more than 1,000 acres of riparian habitat already restored in the Delta. As an important part of this, under Minute 334, the coalition will continue its role in the binational Environmental Work Group, the technical forum established in 2012 under Minute 319 that brings together federal and state agencies, scientists, and conservation organizations from both countries. The EWG collaborates to optimize habitat restoration and maintenance, and is informed by monitoring data and science-based expertise.

“This is what durable binational cooperation looks like — not an agreement signed once, but an ongoing working relationship that adjusts as conditions change. Raise the River's seat at the table has helped keep the Delta's needs part of that conversation for more than a decade.” —Carlos de la Parra, Director, Luken Center, and a member of the Minute 323 Oversight Group.

Minute 334 is the latest chapter in a binational partnership that began with Minute 319 in 2012 and continued through Minute 323 in 2017, for sustainable Colorado River management that benefits communities, farmers, and nature in the Delta region.

Additional background information on Raise the River and binational agreements is available upon request.

About Raise the River

Raise the River is a unique partnership of six United States and Mexican non-governmental organizations working to revive the Colorado River Delta through activities that support environmental restoration for the benefit of the people and the enhancement of wildlife in the Delta. Members include: National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, Pronatura Noroeste, the Redford Center, Restauremos El Colorado, and Sonoran Institute. The coalition has worked with policymakers, water agencies, and governmental representatives from the U.S. and Mexico since 2012 to cooperatively create historic change for the Colorado River Delta. The Raise the River coalition is also known as Alianza Revive el Río Colorado in Spanish communications and within Mexico. To learn more about Raise the River, visit www.raisetheriver.org.

Coalition Partner Media Contacts:

• Raise the River: Lynne Bairstow, (917) 573-8412, lbairstow@redfordcenter.org
• National Audubon Society: Joey Kahn, joey.kahn@audubon.org
• The Nature Conservancy: Lindsay Schlageter, lindsay.schlageter@tnc.org; Daniela Nuñez, dnunez@tnc.org
• Pronatura Noroeste: Natalia Torres, Institutional Communications Coordination, ntorres@pronatura-noroeste.org
• Redford Center: Lynne Bairstow, lbairstow@redfordcenter.org
• Restauremos El Colorado: Bertha Alicia Sandoval, basanfra@restauremoselcolorado.org
• Sonoran Institute: Masiel García, mgarcia@sonoraninstitute.org