"Despite Efforts, The Rio Grande Is One Dirty Border"

"There's one easy way to find out how bad the water quality is in the Rio Grande: get into a kayak."

"Paddle through chocolate brown water in Laredo and the overwhelming smell makes it hard to breathe. A dog's carcass floats by; there are many dead fish, too.

In 1994, Mexico and the U.S. signed the North American Free Trade Agreement. Since then, the two countries have worked to clean up the river that makes up 1,200 miles of their shared border. Despite those efforts, raw sewage still joins the water flow each day."

Neena Satija reports for NPR's All Things Considered October 22, 2013.