Hydraulics and Hydrology of the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin: AA BiBi--National ViewNational View
Daene McKinneyUniversity of Texas at Austin
Javier AparicioInstituto Mexicano de Tecnológica del Agua
Project Rio Workshop, Ciudad Juarez, October 3-5, 2006
AcknowledgementsPhysical Assessment Project
Bi-National, Non-Governmental EffortAnalyzing Physical Opportunities to Improve WaterManagement in the Basin
US Geological Survey
Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua
Mexico
Instituto Tecnológicoy de Estudios Superiores
de Monterrey
World Wildlife Fund
U.S.
GovernmentalResearch
EnvironmentalNGO
University
University of Texas at Austin
Natural Heritage Institute
Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez
University of Arizona
Steering Committee
Basin TopographyBasin Topography
ElevationSan Juan Mountains (Colorado) 4267 mSierra Mountains (Chihuahua) 3600 m
Physiography2892 km total2034 km international border
Area225 380 km2 Mexico (48.2%)242 994 km2 USA (51.8%)468 374 km2 Total (w/o closed basins)557 722 km2 Total (w/ closed basins)
Basin PrecipitationBasin Precipitation
Spatial and temporal variability availableOther climate variable data sets are available
0102030405060708090
Jan
Feb Mar AprMay Ju
n Jul
AugSep OctNovDec
Ave
. Pre
cipi
tatio
n (m
m)
TEXASCHIHUAHUA
DURANGO
NUEVO LEON
NEW MEXICO
COAHUILA
COLORADO
TAMAULIPAS
Rio C
onchos
PECOS RIVER
Rio Salado
Devi
ls R
iver
Rio Alamos
Rio Grande/Bravo
Terlingua Cr Pint
o Cr
Rio San Rodrigo
-
0 100 200 300 40050Km
Rio Grande/Bravo Rio Grande/Bravo ––An International RiverAn International River
< 1850’s – Little impact> 1850’s - Dramatic changes1900s
Treaties between Mexico & USConvention of 1906:
above Fort Quitman, TexasTreaty of 1944:
below Fort QuitmanDams constructed
Elephant Butte Dam:First major dam (1916)International Dams:Falcon (1954) & Amistad (1969)
Extended Drought Period1993 – 2003Major Problems in Lower Basin
US and Mexico Water Sharing Difficulties
Water Availability Water Availability –– Rio Grande/Bravo Rio Grande/Bravo (Ave. Annual Flow, Million m3/year)(Ave. Annual Flow, Million m3/year)
IBWC "Historical Flow" (Period of Record)
Alamito CreekTerlingua CreekPecos RiverDevils River
Springs US
S. Felipe Creek
Pinto Creek
Springs MXAr. Las Vacas
R. San DiegoR. San Rodrigo
R. EscondidoR. Salado
R. ConchosPresidio
R. AlamoR. San Juan
67%50%
50%
100%100%
50%67%
67%67%67%67%
MX Share
33%50%
100%100%100%100%
50%
100%
100%
50%33%
33%33%33%33%
US Share
123327
10017
12012049
330
823163
1848
237323
121
76
19
Return, Amistad-Falcon
901122
965
1113
1198Return, Falcon-Gulf
Divert, Anzalduas Divert, Falcon-Gulf
Divert, Amistad-Falcon
Amistad Res.
Falcon Res.
1944 Treaty Tributaries 1944 Treaty Tributaries Average Annual Flows Average Annual Flows ((million m3/year)million m3/year)
Treaty Deliveries MX-US:not less than 431.7 MCM/yr (on average)
IBWC “Historical Flow” (1940-2000)
Ar. Las Vacas
R. San DiegoR. San Rodrigo
R. EscondidoR. Salado
R. Conchos
6
4040
16110
274
Total 486
TCEQ “Naturalized Flow" (1990-2000)
Ar. Las Vacas
R. San DiegoR. San Rodrigo
R. EscondidoR. Salado
R. Conchos
1
1910
330
161
Total 224
Long-term Average
Average for Part of Recent Drought
Water Availability Water Availability –– Rio Grande/Bravo Rio Grande/Bravo (Ave. Annual Flow, Million m3/year)(Ave. Annual Flow, Million m3/year)
1860
3282
163
10451382
2190
26712956
HistoricFlow
5459
5850
387
22602505
3661
42064336
NaturalizedFlow
near Presidio
below Rio Conchosat Foster Ranch
at Del Rio
at Piedras Negrasat Laredo
at Rio Grande City
below Anzalduas Dam
Amistad Res.
Falcon Res.
IBWC “Historical Flow” (Period of Record)
TCEQ “Naturalized Flow" (1940-2000)
Rio Grande Below Rio Conchos, Naturalized FLow
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Flow
(mill
ion
m3)
Rio Grande at Rio Grande City, Naturalized Flow
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000Fl
ow (m
illio
n m
3)
BiBi--National Rio Grande/Bravo DatabaseNational Rio Grande/Bravo Database
CRWRCRWRParticipants
Support
BiBi--nationalnational Rio Grande/BravoRio Grande/Bravo WaterWaterInformationInformation SystemSystem
2115 Monitoring Points Water QuantityWater QualityClimate
Tracing upstream from Amistad Res.
5.26 million time-series records associated with the monitoring points
TheThe MightyMighty RiverRiver TodayToday
96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06
WaterWater Use Use –– Rio Grande/Bravo BasinRio Grande/Bravo Basin
Municipal Sector (11% of basin demand)
Mexico11 municipalities421 Mm3/yr
US14 municipalities359 Mm3/yr
GroundwaterDepleted
Increased SurfaceWater Demands
Population Booming
WaterWater Use Use –– Rio Grande/Bravo BasinRio Grande/Bravo Basin
Agricultural Sector (88% of basin demand)
Mexico10 Irr. Districts25 Uderales3138 Mm3/yr
US32 Irr. Districts 2823 Mm3/yr (TX)546 Mm3/yr (NM)
Supply Reliablility?Transfer Ag. - Muni. Growing Tension
Upstream-downstreamCross-border
WaterWater Use Use –– Rio Grande/Bravo BasinRio Grande/Bravo BasinEnvironmental Sector (?% of demand)
Habitat - ModifiedFragmentedDegradedSpecies Endangered
Flow – AlteredFluvial & EstuarineFunctions Lost
InfrastructureInfrastructure –– Rio Grande/Bravo BasinRio Grande/Bravo Basin
24 Reservoirs (22,034 Mm3 total capacity)
3 International7177 Mm3
15 in Mexico11424 Mm3
6 in US 3433 Mm3
OperationDemand drivenLong-term planning?IBWCTexas WatermasterCNA
Mexico1. La Boquilla2. Fr. I. Madero3. Chihuahua4. Luis L. Leon5. San Gabriel6. Pico del Aguila7. Centenario8. San Miguel9. La Fragua10. V. Carranza11. Las Blancas12. Marte Gomez13. El Cuchillo14. La Boca15. Cerro Prieto
International1. Amistad2. Falcon3. Anzalduas
US1. Elephant Butte2. Caballo3. Red Bluff4. Lake Balmorhea5. San Esteban Lake6. Casa Blanca Lake
SystemSystem--Wide Wide AssessmentAssessment ofofBroadBroad--ScaleScale OpportunitiesOpportunities
TEXASCHIHUAHUA
DURANGO
NUEVO LEON
NEW MEXICO
COAHUILA
COLORADO
TAMAULIPAS
Rio C
onchos
PECOS RIVER
Rio Salado
Devi
ls R
iver
Rio Alamos
Rio Grande/Bravo
Terlingua Cr Pint
o Cr
Rio San Rodrigo
-
0 100 200 300 40050Km
Current Approach Tends To BeModularFragmentaryMyopic
Improvements Can Come FromCooperation AcrossJursidictional Boundaries
ThroughBi-National Collaboration
Data SharingModel DevelopmentStakeholder Scenario Analysis
SeekingLong-Term SolutionsBringing Mutual Benefits
ObstaclesObstacles toto ImprovedImproved WaterWaterManagementManagement
Excessive Physical LossesEvaporationConveyance systemsDeep percolationCrop patterns (ET management)
Fate Of Conserved WaterCoordination Between Ground and Surface Water Management
Infrastructure OperationIncrease water availability in critical timesEstablish environmental flows
Inflexible Water Rights Management
Lack of Municipal Wastewater Reuse
Future Climate ScenariosFuture Climate Scenarios
What Will The Effects BeOn Water Management?On Water Availability?
These Will Be Driven ByPrecipitation And Other Climate Variables
Normal VariabilityGlobal Change
Land Use And SoilsHow Can We Be Better Prepared?
Stakeholder Consultations Stakeholder Consultations SuggestSuggest TheTheFollowingFollowing AreasAreas forfor WaterWater ManagementManagementImprovementsImprovements
Stakeholder Groups (MX & US)Water Users
IrrigatorsMunicipalitiesEnvironmental groups
Government RepresentativesMx: CNA, CILA, SEMARNATTX: TCEQ, TPWD, TWDB, TDAUS: IBWC, EPA, USDA, DOI, FWS,
DOSPlanners & Policy MakersScientists and Experts
Better Banking and Transfers of Conserved Waters
Improved Management of Water Rights
Conjunctively Managed Ground and Surface Waters
Reservoir Re-operation and Storage Optimization
Municipal Wastewater Recycling
Brackish Water Desalination
ConclusionConclusion
What’s Needed For This Basin Under Tension
Information SharingModel DevelopmentScenario Development and ScreeningRecognition and Development of Most Feasible Scenarios
PhysicalEconomicLegal Institutional
US Geological Survey
Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua
Mexico
Instituto Tecnológicoy de Estudios
Superioresde Monterrey
World Wildlife Fund
U.S.
GovernmentalResearch
EnvironmentalNGO
University
University of Texas
at Austin
Natural Heritage Institute
Universidad Autónomade Ciudad Juárez
University of Arizona
More information:www.crwr.utexas.edu/riogrande.shtmlwww.riogrande-riobravo.org
