Big Bend, the Rio Grande & a Border Wall

Big Bend, the Rio Grande & a Border Wall

From The River Radius Podcast by Sam Carter

April 7, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 132

About this episode

This episode discusses the implications of a potential border wall along the Rio Grande, featuring insights from local outfitters and community leaders.

The waters of the Rio Grande form the entire 1,254-mile border between the state of Texas and Mexico. Some portions of that border are open, with no physical barrier and monitored primarily by surveillance. Other sections have a full wall, with others are slated for new construction. One long stretch through Big Bend is defined by deep, rugged canyons that seem to function as a natural barrier. And it is here that survey crews are working toward the possibility of building a wall. This region is known for the Rio Grande flowing through national and state parks, Wild and Scenic canyons, and vast wildlife areas all consistently remote, powerful river country. Supporting that riverscape is a long-standing river outfitting community. A wall could cut off access to the river for outfitters, for do-it-yourself boaters and potentially disrupt the local economy built around it. River runners, ranchers, residents, and five border-county sheriffs are speaking out about the wall, standing against a wall and for the wild canyon country they call home. In this episode, we talk with Tara Shackelford, an outfitter, and Judge Greg Henington, a former outfitter and current county judge, to…

People in this episode

Host: Sam Carter

Guests: Tara Shackelford, Greg Henington

Topics covered

  • border wall
  • Rio Grande
  • Big Bend
  • local economy
  • outfitting community
  • environmental impact

Keywords

  • border wall
  • Rio Grande
  • Big Bend
  • outfitting
  • local economy
  • canyons
  • wildlife

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wild and Scenic, border-county sheriffs

Places: Texas, Mexico, Big Bend, Rio Grande

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