What is the Paso del Norte? 

The Paso del Norte is located where the U.S. states of Texas and New Mexico meet the Mexican state of Chihuahua. This area is also where the Rio Grande becomes the international border between the U.S. and Mexico.

The Paso del Norte is a hydrological sub-basin of the Rio Grande, and extends from Elephant Butte Dam in southern New Mexico to Fort Quitman, Texas. Since the Rio Grande generally runs dry at Fort Quitman, the Paso del Norte is hydrologically separate from the Lower Rio Grande (which begins where the Río Conchos joins the Rio Grande at Presidio, Texas).

The Paso del Norte relies on water from the Rio Grande, as well as groundwater from the region’s several aquifers (bolsons). Since the region receives only 8 inches (200 mm) of precipitation each year, water withdrawn from the aquifers is not completely replaced through natural recharge flows. Over time, the region’s reliance on groundwater has caused levels in the primary aquifer, the Hueco Bolson, to be significantly reduced. Fresh water in the Hueco Bolson is predicted to last only until 2025 at current withdrawal rates.

Three major cities are located in the Paso del Norte: Las Cruces, NM (population 78,000), El Paso, TX (population 650,000), and El Paso’s sister city in Mexico, Ciudad Juárez (population 1.2 million). Population in the region is growing rapidly and is estimated to reach 4 million by 2020. Irrigated agriculture of crops such as cotton, forage, and pecans is also a vital part of the regional tradition and economy.