Brownsville eases drought restrictions after nearly three years as Rio Grande reservoir levels improve

Brownsville has eased its drought restrictions as water supplies at the two major international reservoirs serving the Rio Grande Valley continue to recover from historically low levels.

The Brownsville Public Utilities Board moved the city from Drought Stage 2 to Stage 1 effective Friday, after combined conservation storage at the Falcon and Amistad reservoirs improved to 32.9%, according to the utility.

The move marks Brownsville’s first return to Stage 1 in nearly three years. BPUB implemented Stage 2 restrictions in September 2023 after the combined U.S. share of water stored at Falcon and Amistad fell below 25%.

State data show both reservoirs have gained significant ground over the past year, although they remain far from full.

Amistad Reservoir was 38.5% full as of Sunday, based on Texas’ share of conservation storage, according to Water Data for Texas, a Texas Water Development Board website. Falcon Reservoir stood at 25.8%.

Falcon’s improvement has been particularly pronounced. The reservoir was just 15.8% full a year ago, meaning its conservation storage has increased by about 10 percentage points since August 2025.

The broader Rio Grande basin has improved as well. Monitored water supply reservoirs in the basin were 33.2% full Sunday, compared with 26.6% a year earlier and 28.3% one month ago, according to state data.

The recent gains, however, don’t mean the region’s long-running water supply concerns have disappeared. Falcon remains roughly three-quarters empty, while Amistad is still less than 40% full.

“This transition to Stage 1 reflects what can be accomplished when a community works together toward a common goal,” Brownsville Mayor John Cowen Jr. said in a news release Friday. “I want to thank every resident and business that took steps to conserve water. While this improvement is welcome news, continued conservation today will help protect our water supply for tomorrow.”

Under Stage 1, water conservation is voluntary, but BPUB is asking customers to limit outdoor irrigation to no more than twice per week.

Landscaped areas should be watered only between midnight and 7 a.m. or between 7 p.m. and midnight. Customers are also encouraged to promptly repair leaks, use water-efficient irrigation methods and avoid unnecessary water use.

BPUB General Manager and CEO Marilyn D. Gilbert said the improved reservoir conditions are encouraging but do not eliminate the need to conserve.

“The conservation efforts of our customers have made a difference, and we appreciate their commitment,” Gilbert said in the release. “While reservoir conditions have improved, we encourage customers to continue conserving water as we work to preserve our water supply.”