Central to the deal is the idea that the Pecos river should stay as it was in 1947.

ECONOMIST: The Pecos river

It is the 1948 Pecos River Compact that makes the river so complicated.

ECONOMIST: The Pecos river

Washington- financed projects rebuilt damaged irrigation systems and tamed the Pecos River.

FORBES: How Carlsbad got WIPPed

The whole flow of the Pecos river is theirs to use if they need it for their allotted acreage of water rights the whole flow except the bit guaranteed to Texas, that is.

ECONOMIST: The Pecos river

Whatever water manages to get to Texas is destined for the town of Pecos, the last big farm community to use the river before it joins the Rio Grande.

ECONOMIST: The Pecos river

Pecos is famous for its cantaloupe melons though these rely on groundwater pumps rather than the river, which is here no more than a few isolated puddles among the hubcaps and beer cans.

ECONOMIST: The Pecos river