Letter to the editor

Dear Editor:

On July 24, 2019, I read in your newspaper, Mathew Ybarra’s article entitled, “The great border dilemma” weighing the difficulties surrounding Texas’ southern border with Mexico.

Like Ybarra, traveling to Mexico or visiting border towns escapes my list of priorities. We continually hear conflicting border reports, and I’ve even been told the Rio Grande river dried up.

We’ve experienced problems with Mexico before 2019. According to the U.S. Army Almanac, one serious struggle, the Mexican War (1846-1847) saw a United States army defend Texas’ decision to become part of the U.S.

Under President Polk, brigadier General Zachery Taylor safeguarded the U.S. Rio Grande border refusing the prior Nueces River border.

During the Mexican War, Mexico’s President General Santa Anna, commanded 15 infantry regiments, 15 light cavalry regiments, four artillery brigades totaling an army of 32,000.

Beginning in 1846 General Winifred Scott led a military advance toward Mexico City. By September 1847, Santa Anna surrendered.

On Feb. 2, 1848, The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo secured the Rio Grande as the border of Texas.

Has the Rio Grande dried up? I’ve driven my car across bridges over the Brazos River, and I can say the Brazos River flows very shallow. I can easily view much space on the banks where the Brazos River used to flow.

I have two questions. Currently, what is the water level of the Nueces River? Today, how deep is the Rio Grande?.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Yeates

Bryan, Texas 77802