The river is in decline, suffering from overuse, drought, and contentious water rights negotiations. Urban and rural border communities with poor infrastructure, known as colonias, are particularly vulnerable to the water crisis. Farmers and cities in southern Texas and northern Mexico are also affected.

The "crisis" on the Rio Grande in February 2026 refers to the ongoing humanitarian and security challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border, specifically in the Texas sector. Governor Greg Abbott recently renewed the Border Security Disaster Proclamation on February 16, 2026, citing an imminent threat from the surge of individuals unlawfully crossing the river. This has led to continued tensions between state and federal authorities over the use of concertina wire, floating barriers, and the presence of the Texas National Guard in areas like Shelby Park. Beyond the political conflict, there is a recurring humanitarian crisis involving migrant drownings in the river's unpredictable currents and the strain on local border towns' resources. Concurrently, environmental "crises" often affect the region, such as record rainfall or droughts that impact the river's flow and the salinity levels of drinking water for millions of residents on both sides of the border, making the Rio Grande a focal point of intense legal and social debate.