Hydraulics and Hydrology of the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin: A Bi-National View

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1 Hydraulics and Hydrology of the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin: A Bi-National View Daene McKinney University of Texas at Austin Javier Aparicio Instituto Mexicano de Tecnológica del Agua Project Rio Workshop, Ciudad Juarez, October 3-5, 2006

2 Acknowledgements Physical Assessment Project Bi-National, Non-Governmental Effort Analyzing Physical Opportunities to Improve Water Management in the Basin University Environmental NGO Governmental Research U.S. University of Texas at Austin University of Arizona Natural Heritage Institute US Geological Survey Mexico Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez World Wildlife Fund Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua Steering Committee

3 Basin Topography Elevation San Juan Mountains (Colorado) 4267 m Sierra Mountains (Chihuahua) 3600 m Physiography 2892 km total 2034 km international border Area km2 Mexico (48.2%) km2 USA (51.8%) km2 Total (w/o closed basins) km2 Total (w/ closed basins)

4 Basin Precipitation Spatial and temporal variability available Other climate variable data sets are available Ave. Precipitation (mm) Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

5 Rio Grande/Bravo An International River < 1850 s Little impact > 1850 s - Dramatic changes 1900s Treaties between Mexico & US Convention of 1906: above Fort Quitman, Texas Treaty of 1944: below Fort Quitman Dams constructed Elephant Butte Dam: First major dam (1916) International Dams: Falcon (1954) & Amistad (1969) Extended Drought Period Major Problems in Lower Basin US and Mexico Water Sharing Difficulties COLORADO NEW MEXICO CHIHUAHUA Rio Grande/Bravo Rio Conchos DURANGO Terlingua Cr PECOS RIVER COAHUILA TEXAS Devils River Rio San Rodrigo Pinto Cr Rio Salado Rio Alamos NUEVO LEON Km TAMAULIPAS

6 Water Availability Rio Grande/Bravo (Ave. Annual Flow, Million m3/year) MX Share 50% 67% Presidio R. Conchos Amistad Res Alamito Creek Terlingua Creek Pecos River Devils River US Share 50% 33% 100% 100% 100% 100% 50% 50% 67% 67% 67% 67% 67% Springs MX Ar. Las Vacas R. San Diego R. San Rodrigo R. Escondido R. Salado Springs US S. Felipe Creek Divert, Amistad-Falcon Pinto Creek Return, Amistad-Falcon 50% 50% 33% 100% 100% 33% 33% 33% 33% Falcon Res. 100% R. Alamo 100% R. San Juan Return, Falcon-Gulf Divert, Anzalduas Divert, Falcon-Gulf IBWC "Historical Flow" (Period of Record)

7 1944 Treaty Tributaries Average Annual Flows (million m3/year) R. Conchos 274 R. Conchos 161 Treaty Deliveries MX-US: not less than MCM/yr (on average) Ar. Las Vacas 6 Ar. Las Vacas 1 R. San Diego R. San Rodrigo R. San Diego R. San Rodrigo R. Escondido R. Salado R. Escondido R. Salado 3 30 Long-term Average Total 486 Average for Part of Recent Drought Total 224 IBWC Historical Flow ( ) TCEQ Naturalized Flow" ( )

8 Water Availability Rio Grande/Bravo (Ave. Annual Flow, Million m3/year) near Presidio Historic Flow 163 Naturalized Flow Rio Grande Below Rio Conchos, Naturalized FLow below Rio Conchos at Foster Ranch IBWC Historical Flow (Period of Record) Amistad Res Flow (million m3) at Del Rio Rio Grande at Rio Grande City, Naturalized Flow at Piedras Negras at Laredo Falcon Res. Flow (million m3) at Rio Grande City below Anzalduas Dam TCEQ Naturalized Flow" ( )

9 Bi-National Rio Grande/Bravo Database Participants CRWR Support

10 Bi-national Rio Grande/Bravo Water Information System 2115 Monitoring Points Water Quantity Water Quality Climate Tracing upstream from Amistad Res million time-series records associated with the monitoring points

11 The Mighty River Today

12 Water Use Rio Grande/Bravo Basin Municipal Sector (11% of basin demand) Mexico 11 municipalities 421 Mm 3 /yr US 14 municipalities 359 Mm 3 /yr Groundwater Depleted Increased Surface Water Demands Population Booming

13 Water Use Rio Grande/Bravo Basin Agricultural Sector (88% of basin demand) Mexico 10 Irr. Districts 25 Uderales 3138 Mm 3 /yr US 32 Irr. Districts 2823 Mm 3 /yr (TX) 546 Mm 3 /yr (NM) Supply Reliablility? Transfer Ag. - Muni. Growing Tension Upstreamdownstream Cross-border

14 Water Use Rio Grande/Bravo Basin Environmental Sector (?% of demand) Habitat - Modified Fragmented Degraded Species Endangered Flow Altered Fluvial & Estuarine Functions Lost

15 Infrastructure Rio Grande/Bravo Basin 24 Reservoirs (22,034 Mm 3 total capacity) 3 International 7177 Mm 3 15 in Mexico Mm 3 6 in US 3433 Mm 3 Operation Demand driven Long-term planning? IBWC Texas Watermaster CNA Mexico 1. La Boquilla 2. Fr. I. Madero 3. Chihuahua 4. Luis L. Leon 5. San Gabriel 6. Pico del Aguila 7. Centenario 8. San Miguel 9. La Fragua 10. V. Carranza 11. Las Blancas 12. Marte Gomez 13. El Cuchillo 14. La Boca 15. Cerro Prieto International 1. Amistad 2. Falcon 3. Anzalduas US 1. Elephant Butte 2. Caballo 3. Red Bluff 4. Lake Balmorhea 5. San Esteban Lake 6. Casa Blanca Lake

16 System-Wide Assessment of Broad-Scale Opportunities Current Approach Tends To Be Modular Fragmentary Myopic Improvements Can Come From Cooperation Across Jursidictional Boundaries Through Bi-National Collaboration Data Sharing Model Development Stakeholder Scenario Analysis Seeking Long-Term Solutions Bringing Mutual Benefits COLORADO NEW MEXICO CHIHUAHUA Rio Grande/Bravo Rio Conchos DURANGO Terlingua Cr PECOS RIVER COAHUILA TEXAS Devils River Rio San Rodrigo Pinto Cr Rio Salado Rio Alamos NUEVO LEON Km TAMAULIPAS

17 Obstacles to Improved Water Management Excessive Physical Losses Evaporation Conveyance systems Deep percolation Crop patterns (ET management) Fate Of Conserved Water Coordination Between Ground and Surface Water Management Infrastructure Operation Increase water availability in critical times Establish environmental flows Inflexible Water Rights Management Lack of Municipal Wastewater Reuse

18 Future Climate Scenarios What Will The Effects Be On Water Management? On Water Availability? These Will Be Driven By Precipitation And Other Climate Variables Normal Variability Global Change Land Use And Soils How Can We Be Better Prepared?

19 Stakeholder Consultations Suggest The Following Areas for Water Management Improvements Better Banking and Transfers of Conserved Waters Improved Management of Water Rights Conjunctively Managed Ground and Surface Waters Stakeholder Groups (MX & US) Water Users Irrigators Municipalities Environmental groups Government Representatives Mx: CNA, CILA, SEMARNAT TX: TCEQ, TPWD, TWDB, TDA US: IBWC, EPA, USDA, DOI, FWS, DOS Planners & Policy Makers Scientists and Experts Reservoir Re-operation and Storage Optimization Municipal Wastewater Recycling Brackish Water Desalination

20 University Environmental NGO Governmental Research Conclusion U.S. University of Texas at Austin University of Arizona Natural Heritage Institute US Geological Survey Mexico What s Needed For This Basin Under Tension Information Sharing Model Development Scenario Development and Screening Recognition and Development of Most Feasible Scenarios Physical Economic Legal Institutional Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez World Wildlife Fund InstitutoMexicanode Tecnología del Agua More information: