United States – Mexico TransboundaryAquifer Assessment

Proposal

By

Dr. Karl Wood, DirectorWater Resources Research Institute

New Mexico State UniversityLas Cruces, New Mexico

Problems?• Human population growth along US-Mexico border is among

the highest nationally

• Average per capita income is far below the U.S. average

• Economic develop is restricted by lack of adequate water

• Availability of water is a key issue in the U.S. – Mexico border region

• Groundwater is used for all the drinking water in southern New Mexico, all of Juarez, and half of the El Paso area• Groundwater is probably the only source of new water as the drought continues and new desalting technology develops

border

Water Resources in the New Mexico Border Region

Mined basin with water-level drawdowns exceeding 250 feet Sole source of water for Ciudad Juarez Major source of water for El Paso Quality generally <1,000 mg/L TDS, but deteriorating Very little natural recharge Extensive modeling in El Paso/Ciudad Juarez area Artificial recharge program by El Paso Water Use 2000:

El Paso = 126,420 acre-feetCiudad Juarez = 124,000 acre-feetDistrito de Riego 009 = 57,000 acre-feet

Hueco Bolson

Mesilla Basin

• Largest rechargeable reservoir in region

• Southern boundary in Mexico poorly defined

• Connected with overlying semi-confined Alluvium aquifer

• Quality <1,000 mg/L TDS

• Use: Domestic & Supplemental to Rio Grande for Irrigation

• Quantity pumped = ?

• Quantity in storage = ~60 million af - ?

• Number of modeling efforts, none bi-national

Jornada del Muerto

Weak connection with Mesilla Basin

Quality <1,000 mg/L TDS in south Limited development Very little natural recharge ~5,000

af/y in southern area Some modeling in southern area Water in storage = ~100 million af Well yields low

• Interconnected group of subbasins

• Area = 5,140 mi2, 4,360 in US, 770 in MX

• Water is storage = ~30 million af• Quality <250 mg/L TDS in

north, >500 to 1,000 mg/L TDS in south

• Southern boundary poorly defined

• Water use: ~53,000 af/y in US• Recharge ~63,000 af/y• Limited modeling in Deming

area, none bi-national

Mimbres Basin

Hachita-Moscos Basin

Interconnected Group of subbasins Area 1,040 mi2, 620 in NM, 420 in MX Water in storage ~5 million af Recharge = 4,800 af/y Flow from US to MX about 2,000 af/y Quality variable with areas having

<250 mg/L TDS to >1,000 mg/L TDS Limited development No modeling, sparse data

Two Interconnected subbasins Area 925 mi2, 921 in NM, 4 in MX Water in storage ~5 million af Recharge = ~5,700 af/y Quality variable with areas having

<250 mg/L TDS to 500 mg/L TDS Water use ~4,900 af/y for mineral

processing (1995) No modeling, sparse data

Playas Basin

Animas Basin

Interconnected group of four subbasins

Area 2,448 mi2

Water in storage ~9.5 million af Recharge = ~12,700 af/y Quality <250 mg/L TDS Water use ~16,500 af/y in 1995

primarily for agriculture No modeling, limited data

• How extensive are the aquifers?

• Which directions are the aquifers flowing?

• How deep are the aquifers?

• What is the quality of the aquifers at various depths?

• How fast are they declining in supply and quality?

• What is the long-term availability?

• What is the relationship between surface supplies and aquifer recharge?

Many questions concerning the aquifers remain:

a. Develop high-quality, comprehensive, binationalgroundwater quantity and quality databases

Solution: A Congressionally funded initiative to

d. Develop and improve groundwater flow models for bi-national aquifers to facilitate regional water assessment and

planning

b. Assess movement and interaction of water resources

c. Analyze trends in groundwater quality, including salinity, nutrients, toxics, and pathogens

g. Apply the new data and models to evaluate strategies to enhance supplies and protect water quality

e. Develop land use and land cover characterization mapping information

f. Develop hydrogeologic maps of both surface and bedrock deposits

Where will the work be done?

Primary emphasis will start in the southern New Mexico – west Texas - northern Chihuahua region

Secondary emphasis will follow in the Arizona – Sonora and California – Baja regions

Who will do the work?

Scientists from:

New Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico Tech UniversityTexas A&M University – El Paso Research CenterU.S. Geological Survey – New Mexico & Texas OfficesUniversity of ArizonaUniversity of California – RiversideSandia National LaboratoryMexican counterparts

Lead agencies: New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute at New Mexico State University

Texas Water Resources Research Instituteat Texas A&M University

Funding?

U.S. Senate Bill 1957 108th Congress

Introduced November 25, 2003

By

U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman

$5 million each year for 10 years

Action Request?

Resolution of support be

sent to New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation

Senator Jeff BingamanSenator Pete Domenici

Representative Steve Pearce Representative Tom Udall

Representative Heather Wilson

Senator Jeff Bingaman703 Hart Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

Senator Pete Domenici328 Hart Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

Congressman Steve Pearce1408 Longworth House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

Congresswoman Heather Wilson318 Cannon House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

Congressman Tom Udall1414 Longworth House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

Senator John Cornyn517 Hart Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison284 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

Congressman Silvestre Reyes1527 Longworth House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

Congressman Henry Bonilla2458 Rayburn House Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

New Mexico Delegation Texas Delegation