New Water Buoy Barriers in Texas Could Disrupt Rio Grande in 'Unpredictable, Damaging, Catastrophic' Ways, Experts Say

At the beginning of the year, now former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem unveiled a new type of water buoy barrier set to be installed along the Rio Grande near Brownsville, expected to stretch as much as 500 miles.

Fast forward to today: authorities in Texas have begun installing the cylindrical buoys meant to deter migrants from crossing into the United States, but a report by The Texas Tribune and the nonprofit Inside Climate News notes the barriers are already disrupting the Rio Grande's ecosystem.

Since announcing the plan, DHS has waived environmental laws and has not conducted environmental assessments or flood modeling, with experts warning that the cylindrical barriers could intensify flooding and alter the river channel.

The new buoy barriers are cylindrical rather than round, measuring about four to five feet in diameter and roughly 15 feet long, and according to Mark Tompkins, a geomorphologist who studies river flow and conducted an analysis of the buoys, the design raises concerns about how they will interact with the river's natural dynamics.

Other experts consulted about the barriers said they could speed up floodwater in a region already prone to flooding, as well as accumulate sediment and create new landforms along the river.

"The design requirements for these barriers, set by CBP and implemented by contractors, mandate that they withstand a 100-year flood event — consistent with CBP established design standards," a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson told Inside Climate News. "Additionally, the barriers are engineered to endure increased currents and elevated water levels, ensuring operational reliability during extreme weather conditions."

According to a study conducted by Tompkins on the potential impact of the buoys, the findings show the barriers could collect trash, debris and uprooted trees during floods, and with the Rio Grande's soft riverbed, Tompkins says the force of high flows could cause the anchors holding the buoys to fail.

"It is inevitable that portions of the buoy system will break free and portions of the [border] wall will fail," Tompkins said. "Even very small changes can have very big consequences."

Presenting his findings at the Laredo Rio Grande Riverfront Coordination Ad-hoc Advisory Committee on March 12, Tompkins said the water barriers could change the Rio Grande in "unpredictable, damaging and potentially catastrophic ways."

According to officials, these buoys offer improved flotation and are equipped with fiber optic sensors capable of detecting attempts to climb over them, and when announcing them in January, Noem said the barriers were necessary and described them as a long-term investment.

"These barriers will make it far more difficult for illegal aliens, drug smugglers and human traffickers to cross the river and other waterways where they are deployed," Noem said. "Securing these waterways protects Americans and also saves lives by discouraging dangerous river crossings."

Environmental experts are not the only ones raising concerns about the damage the barriers could cause, and last month, about 50 people gathered at a park in Brownsville, Texas, to protest the buoy barriers.

"The Department of Homeland Security is actively installing dangerous border buoys in our river," Bekah Hinojosa of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network told Border Report. "The river is supposed to be a pristine habitat, it nourishes our community, and we demand equal protections for our river."