Has climate change affected the Rio Grande Valley?

The extreme heat, lack of rain and resacas drying up, including the one beneath the bridge on the Brownsville campus, are examples of how climate change is affecting the Rio Grande Valley, a UTRGV professor says.

The Rio Grande Valley has been experiencing a dry season and is now considered to be in a severe drought, according to the U.S. National Weather Service in Brownsville. Two UTRGV professors and an environmental advocate told Pulse the drought has impacted plants, animals and people in the region.

Hydrology and environmental science Professor Jude Benavides reassured the native plants and animals by the resaca are used to experiencing dry conditions.

“Because this happens so frequently every two to three years, nature, particularly around that area, that you see there are accustomed to it,” Benavides said.

He added the drying of the resaca bed can be a healthy process for decaying the dead organic material in the water as it is exposed to sunlight and oxygen.

Christopher Gabler, associate professor of plant ecology, said the Brownsville campus houses a lot of native plants. Those suffer less than non-native plants, such as St. Augustine grass, which is the typical lawn grass.

“Native plants have evolved to deal with this drought, and they tend to be sort of the last man standing,” Gabler said.

Anthony Ho-shing, president of the Environmental Awareness Club at UTRGV, also mentioned the importance of native plants and how they help with droughts.

“Their root systems survive the droughts and help keep drainage manageable,” Ho-shing said.

Gabler added even though it is normal to have dry years in the region, this drought is part of a greater trend and an example of how climate change is affecting the area. 

“We are having more severe droughts than we’re used to. When we get rain, it tends to come in fewer, larger rainfall events,” he said.

Gabler said droughts such as the one the region is currently going through calls attention to water issues and reminds the community of the scarcity of water.

“This gives us this sort of public and political initiative to take more active steps to develop good water plans and beneficial regulations that help us protect our fresh water supply,” he said.

Ho-shing said the drought also has a negative impact on people, such as construction workers, after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 2127 into law in 2023, which nullified ordinances requiring water and rest breaks for outdoor workers.

“A lot of people in the Valley are outdoor laborers, so this affects a lot of people,” Gabler said.

Ho-shing said some ways to become more conscious of the environment can be by looking up and listening to the diverse species of birds in the region and visiting nature parks to learn about native animals and plants.

“When you’re more aware of your environment, you’re more protective of your environment,” he said.