Downstream: How water, air, and pollution flow through the Rio Grande Valley

Downstream is an investigative look at the environmental systems shaping life and health in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States.Drawing on public data, scientific research, and investigative reporting, the book connects water quality, flooding, air pollution, infrastructure, and public health to show how cumulative environmental exposure develops over time in a region uniquely vulnerable to contamination.Without assigning blame, Downstream focuses on documented conditions and population-level trends, asking a question many residents quietly carry: Why does illness feel so common here? Written with clarity and restraint, it offers readers a deeper understanding of how water, air, and land use shape the Valley's present-and its future.