▁L augh lin ▁Field ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁Del ▁Rio , ▁as ▁a ▁training ▁base ▁for ▁the ▁Martin ▁B - 2 6 , ▁but ▁the ▁base ▁was ▁de activ ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁As ▁the ▁Cold ▁War ▁press ures ▁built , ▁along ▁with ▁new ▁border - control ▁issues , ▁L augh lin ▁Field ▁was ▁re built ▁and ▁renamed ▁L augh lin ▁Air ▁Force ▁Base ▁and ▁was ▁again ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁home ▁for ▁flight ▁training . ▁ ▁L augh lin ▁plays ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Del ▁Rio ▁community ▁as ▁the ▁area ' s ▁largest ▁employ er . ▁ ▁Geography ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Census ▁Bureau , ▁the ▁city ▁has ▁a ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁, ▁of ▁which ▁ ▁are ▁land ▁and ▁, ▁or ▁ 0 . 2 4 %, ▁is ▁covered ▁by ▁water . ▁ ▁Del ▁Rio ▁lies ▁on ▁the ▁north western ▁edges ▁of ▁the ▁T ama ul ip an ▁mez qu ital , ▁also ▁called ▁the ▁South ▁Texas ▁br ush ▁country . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁near ▁the ▁south western ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁Edwards ▁Pl ate au , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁western ▁fr inge ▁of ▁the ▁famous , ▁o ak ▁sav anna - cover ed ▁Texas ▁Hill ▁Country ; ▁that ▁area ▁is ▁d otted ▁with ▁numerous ▁small ▁spr ings ; ▁one ▁of ▁these ▁is ▁the ▁San ▁F eli pe ▁Spr ings , ▁which ▁provides ▁a ▁constant ▁flow ▁of ▁water ▁to ▁San ▁F eli pe ▁Creek . ▁The ▁cre ek ▁supplied ▁fresh ▁water ▁for ▁drink ing ▁and ▁ir rig ation