LEGACIES: Contemplating the edge of the river ... on 
Passport to Texas Legacies ... 
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Passport to Texas Legacies from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Texans love owning property. But Marcos Paredes, federal 
District Ranger who oversees 245 miles of the Rio Grande 
that flows along the southern boundary of the Big Bend 
National Park, says when it comes to water rights, 
nature's idea of boundaries differs from man's.

Across the river, Mexico says, the river is public domain. And the river 
extends twenty meters back from the high water mark. It's federal 
property. In Texas they say that the boundary - is the gradient 
boundary - halfway between the water and high water mark. My idea of 
what the wild and scenic rive boundary is, what it should be, I say let's 
be honest about this. What is the river? If you walk down there to the 
water's edge, are you at the edge of the river? I would say, no. I would 
say you're standing smack dab in the middle of the river. Because the 
river is not just the water. It is everything that the river brought in. All 
of that was brought in by the river, and all of that can be taken away by 
the river. You know, a very simplified version of what I think should be 
the boundary for the river is, that area where you would not want to 
leave your Lexus parked for a year. Because it may not be there when 
you come back. :53

That's our show for today ... produced in cooperation with 
the Conservation History Association of Texas ... visit 
them at texaslegacy.org ... for Texas Parks and 
Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.