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Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment
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Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 July 2021) | Viewed by 53283

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sharon B. Megdal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Water Resource Research Center, The University of Arizona, 350 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85719, USA
Interests: comparative evaluation of water management; policy and governance in water-scarce regions; groundwater recharge; and transboundary aquifer assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anne-Marie Matherne

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Water Sciences Center, 6700 Edith NE, Suite B Albuquerque New Mexico USA 87113
Interests: erosion and sediment transport; groundwater-surface water interactions; and transboundary aquifer assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The need to feed and support the world’s growing population has placed a spotlight on the world’s underground freshwater resources. As groundwater use increases globally, there is growing recognition that critical to sound groundwater management is a detailed understanding of aquifer conditions. Of special consideration is aquifer assessment in a transboundary setting, where cooperation of multiple jurisdictions, sometimes with different languages and cultures, is required. The paucity of formal agreements governing the sharing of groundwater across borders suggests there is an opportunity to contribute to the advancement of the science as well as management of transboundary aquifers through sharing approaches to and results of transboundary aquifer assessment efforts. This Special Issue of Water invites papers reporting on transboundary aquifer assessment research. The guest editors invite papers that describe aquifers, groundwater availability and quality, and water use. Integrated studies, including modeling, that incorporate various aspects of the hydrologic system and/or socioeconomic conditions are welcomed. In addition, the Guest Editors invite papers analyzing relevant institutional issues and mechanisms for cooperation, which could serve as the foundation for collaboration extending to management of transboundary groundwater. We encourage authors to share both challenges and successes associated with working across jurisdictional borders, whether they be borders between sovereign nations, as well as between different states or jurisdictions within a country. Papers that address cooperative mechanisms for transboundary aquifer assessment are also invited.

Prof. Sharon B. Megdal
Dr. Anne-Marie Matherne
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • transboundary aquifer assessment
  • aquifer conditions
  • groundwater
  • hydrologic modeling
  • cooperative mechanisms

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

7 pages, 885 KiB  
Editorial
Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment
by Anne-Marie Matherne and Sharon B. Megdal
Water 2023, 15(6), 1208; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15061208 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1310
Abstract
This Special Issue is intended to highlight both recent work to advance the physical understanding of transboundary aquifers and factors relevant in successful collaboration on transboundary groundwater resource use. The collected papers address: (1) the identification and prioritization of the needs and strategies [...] Read more.
This Special Issue is intended to highlight both recent work to advance the physical understanding of transboundary aquifers and factors relevant in successful collaboration on transboundary groundwater resource use. The collected papers address: (1) the identification and prioritization of the needs and strategies for sustainable groundwater development and use, along with the complexities introduced by working across borders with differing governance frameworks, institutions, cultures, and sometimes languages; (2) the characterization of the physical framework of the aquifer, stressors on the aquifer system, and how those stressors influence the availability of groundwater in terms of its quantity and quality; and (3) the incorporation of stakeholder input and prioritization directly into the process of aquifer assessment and model building. The papers provide insights into the state of knowledge regarding the physical characterization of important transboundary aquifers, primarily along the U.S.–Mexico border and the opportunities for greater stakeholder involvement in resource evaluation and prioritization. They point the way towards a future focus that combines both of these aspects of transboundary aquifer assessment for informing groundwater management discussions by policymakers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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Research

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12 pages, 21206 KiB  
Article
Hydrogeomorphologic Mapping of the Transboundary San Pedro Aquifer: A Tool for Groundwater Characterization
by José Ismael Minjárez Sosa, Grisel Alejandra Gutiérrez Anguamea, Rogelio Monreal, Francisco Javier Grijalva Noriega and Elia M. Tapia-Villaseñor
Water 2022, 14(6), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14060906 - 14 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2350
Abstract
Hydrogeomorphology is an emerging discipline that studies the relationship between landforms and hydrology, focusing on groundwater and surface water interactions. This study presents the methodology for the elaboration of a hydro-geomorphological map oriented to illustrate the relationships between the aquifer components and geomorphological [...] Read more.
Hydrogeomorphology is an emerging discipline that studies the relationship between landforms and hydrology, focusing on groundwater and surface water interactions. This study presents the methodology for the elaboration of a hydro-geomorphological map oriented to illustrate the relationships between the aquifer components and geomorphological characteristics in the United States-Mexico Transboundary San Pedro Aquifer (TSPA). This information contributes to a further understanding of the TSPA, facilitates the location of groundwater recharge and discharge zones, is useful for the development of sustainable groundwater management strategies, and could be useful in developing conceptual and numerical groundwater models for the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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17 pages, 3750 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Origin of Hueco Bolson and Mesilla Basin Aquifers (US and Mexico) with Isotopic Data Analysis
by Ana Cristina Garcia-Vasquez, Alfredo Granados-Olivas, Zohrab Samani and Alexander Fernald
Water 2022, 14(4), 526; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14040526 - 10 Feb 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2837
Abstract
An important tool to identify the origin of a groundwater resource is the use of isotopic signatures. Isotopic signatures give us the age of water and provide information as to the water’s origin, potential transit at geologic structures, source of salinization, and possible [...] Read more.
An important tool to identify the origin of a groundwater resource is the use of isotopic signatures. Isotopic signatures give us the age of water and provide information as to the water’s origin, potential transit at geologic structures, source of salinization, and possible recharge points. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze well samples to evaluate isotopic tracers (δ18O and tritium) in the transboundary Conejos-Médanos/Mesilla aquifer located between the US and Mexico. This new analyzed information was compared with the isotopic information available in the US Mesilla and US-MX Hueco basins generated by previous works, which described the common origin of the Hueco Bolson and Mesilla Basins aquifers. This study used isotopic analysis to validate the theory of the original formation and interconnectivity of both transboundary basins. This research presents new data of δ18O and tritium, and a comparison with previous published data from other workers, versus the known global meteoric water line (GMWL) and the Rio Grande evaporation line (RGEL). Results show that the groundwater at the transboundary aquifer features an evaporated isotopic signal, which is consistent with referenced published data that discusses the geologic history of aquifer formations at the studied area. This study is important because isotopic studies from the area were nonexistent and because isotopic data can explain recharge scenarios that relate to groundwater quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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15 pages, 2253 KiB  
Article
Assessing Groundwater Withdrawal Sustainability in the Mexican Portion of the Transboundary Santa Cruz River Aquifer
by Elia M. Tapia-Villaseñor, Eylon Shamir, Mary-Belle Cruz-Ayala and Sharon B. Megdal
Water 2022, 14(2), 233; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14020233 - 13 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2085
Abstract
The impact of climate uncertainties is already evident in the border communities of the United States and Mexico. This semi-arid to arid border region has faced increased vulnerability to water scarcity, propelled by droughts, warming atmosphere, population growth, ecosystem sensitivity, and institutional asymmetries [...] Read more.
The impact of climate uncertainties is already evident in the border communities of the United States and Mexico. This semi-arid to arid border region has faced increased vulnerability to water scarcity, propelled by droughts, warming atmosphere, population growth, ecosystem sensitivity, and institutional asymmetries between the two countries. In this study, we assessed the annual water withdrawal, which is essential for maintaining long-term sustainable conditions in the Santa Cruz River Aquifer in Mexico, which is part of the U.S.–Mexico Transboundary Santa Cruz Aquifer. For this assessment, we developed a water balance model that accounts for the water fluxes into and out of the aquifer’s basin. A central component of this model is a hydrologic model that uses precipitation and evapotranspiration demand as input to simulate the streamflow into and out of the basin, natural recharge, soil moisture, and actual evapotranspiration. Based on the precipitation record for the period 1954–2020, we found that the amount of groundwater withdrawal that maintains sustainable conditions is 23.3 MCM/year. However, the record is clearly divided into two periods: a wet period, 1965–1993, in which the cumulative surplus in the basin reached ~380 MCM by 1993, and a dry period, 1994–2020, in which the cumulative surplus had been completely depleted. Looking at a balanced annual groundwater withdrawal for a moving average of 20-year intervals, we found the sustainable groundwater withdrawal to decline from a maximum of 36.4 MCM/year in 1993 to less than 8 MCM/year in 2020. This study underscores the urgency for adjusted water resources management that considers the large inter-annual climate variability in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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24 pages, 4591 KiB  
Article
Salinity Contributions from Geothermal Waters to the Rio Grande and Shallow Aquifer System in the Transboundary Mesilla (United States)/Conejos-Médanos (Mexico) Basin
by Jeff D. Pepin, Andrew J. Robertson and Shari A. Kelley
Water 2022, 14(1), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14010033 - 23 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2793
Abstract
Freshwater scarcity has raised concerns about the long-term availability of the water supplies within the transboundary Mesilla (United States)/Conejos-Médanos (Mexico) Basin in Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua. Analysis of legacy temperature data and groundwater flux estimates indicates that the region’s known geothermal systems [...] Read more.
Freshwater scarcity has raised concerns about the long-term availability of the water supplies within the transboundary Mesilla (United States)/Conejos-Médanos (Mexico) Basin in Texas, New Mexico, and Chihuahua. Analysis of legacy temperature data and groundwater flux estimates indicates that the region’s known geothermal systems may contribute more than 45,000 tons of dissolved solids per year to the shallow aquifer system, with around 8500 tons of dissolved solids being delivered from localized groundwater upflow zones within those geothermal systems. If this salinity flux is steady and eventually flows into the Rio Grande, it could account for 22% of the typical average annual cumulative Rio Grande salinity that leaves the basin each year—this salinity proportion could be much greater in times of low streamflow. Regional water level mapping indicates upwelling brackish waters flow towards the Rio Grande and the southern part of the Mesilla portion of the basin with some water intercepted by wells in Las Cruces and northern Chihuahua. Upwelling waters ascend from depths greater than 1 km with focused flow along fault zones, uplifted bedrock, and/or fractured igneous intrusions. Overall, this work demonstrates the utility of using heat as a groundwater tracer to identify salinity sources and further informs stakeholders on the presence of several brackish upflow zones that could notably degrade the quality of international water supplies in this developed drought-stricken region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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13 pages, 223 KiB  
Article
Trust, Risk, and Power in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Collaborations
by Holly Brause
Water 2021, 13(23), 3350; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233350 - 25 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1427
Abstract
In events and discussions about transboundary aquifer assessment, trust is often cited as an essential component of collaborative efforts. However, there is little discussion of what trust is, how it is built, what diminishes trust, and why it is so important. This study [...] Read more.
In events and discussions about transboundary aquifer assessment, trust is often cited as an essential component of collaborative efforts. However, there is little discussion of what trust is, how it is built, what diminishes trust, and why it is so important. This study uses ethnographic research carried out between 2019 and 2021 with the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) to examine the role and significance of trust in U.S./Mexico TAAP collaborations. This study demonstrates that trust is best understood in relationship to power and risk. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of the TAAP program in managing asymmetrical relationships of power and unequal levels of risk in participation. In TAAP collaborations, the insistence on establishing trust should signal participants to consider and address the underlying issues of risk and power. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
20 pages, 6117 KiB  
Article
Current Status and Future Directions in Modeling a Transboundary Aquifer: A Case Study of Hueco Bolson
by Rocky Talchabhadel, Helene McMillan, Santosh S. Palmate, Rosario Sanchez, Zhuping Sheng and Saurav Kumar
Water 2021, 13(22), 3178; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13223178 - 10 Nov 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3875
Abstract
The Hueco Bolson aquifer is a binational aquifer shared by the United States of America (USA) and Mexico that is strongly interconnected with the transboundary river, Rio Grande/Rio Bravo. Limited recharge, increasing urbanization, and intensified agriculture have resulted in the over-drafting of groundwater [...] Read more.
The Hueco Bolson aquifer is a binational aquifer shared by the United States of America (USA) and Mexico that is strongly interconnected with the transboundary river, Rio Grande/Rio Bravo. Limited recharge, increasing urbanization, and intensified agriculture have resulted in the over-drafting of groundwater resources and stressed the aquifer, threatening its sustainability if mitigation actions are not taken soon. Research indicates that the aquifer’s hydraulic gradients and flow directions have changed due to the high groundwater withdrawal rates from the two major cities—El Paso (USA) and Ciudad Juarez (Mexico). This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the Hueco Bolson aquifer modeling history and makes a case for future modeling and binational engagement efforts. First, we discuss the evolution of groundwater modeling for Hueco Bolson from the past to recent times. Second, we discuss the main water management issues in the area, including water quality and quantity, stakeholders’ participation, and climate change. To address the challenges of holistic water management, we propose developing a graphical quantitative modeling framework (e.g., system model and Bayesian belief network) to include experts’ opinions and enhance stakeholders’ participation in the model. Though the insights are based on a case study of Hueco Bolson, the approaches discussed in this study can provide new strategies to overcome the challenges of managing a transboundary aquifer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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47 pages, 25782 KiB  
Article
Transboundary Aquifers between Baja California, Sonora and Chihuahua, Mexico, and California, Arizona and New Mexico, United States: Identification and Categorization
by Rosario Sanchez and Laura Rodriguez
Water 2021, 13(20), 2878; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13202878 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6757
Abstract
In 2016, research suggested there might be up to 36 transboundary aquifers located along the border between Mexico and the U.S. The main contribution of this study was to put together the available segments already existent in the literature without considering the validity [...] Read more.
In 2016, research suggested there might be up to 36 transboundary aquifers located along the border between Mexico and the U.S. The main contribution of this study was to put together the available segments already existent in the literature without considering the validity of the criteria used to define the boundaries of those segments. In 2018, updated research reported 33 hydrogeological units (HGUs) crossing the boundaries between Mexico and Texas. This later analysis included the homogenization of geological nomenclatures, standardization of geological and hydrogeological criteria, using a specific methodology to correlate, identify, and delineate each HGU. The purpose of this paper is to use this latter methodology and expand the same analysis to include the transboundary aquifers between Baja California/California, Sonora/Arizona, and Chihuahua/New Mexico. Results of this study indicate that a total of 39 HGUs have been identified in this region which accounts for an approximate shareable land of 135,000 km2 where both countries share half of the area. From the total shareable area, around 40% reports good to moderate aquifer potential and water quality, of which 65% is in the U.S. and 35% on the Mexico side. Border-wide, the total number of HGUs in the border region between Mexico and the United States is 72, covering an approximate area of 315,000 km2 (180,000 km2 on the U.S. side and 135,000 km2 on the Mexico side). The total area that reports good to moderate aquifer potential as well as good to regular water quality ranges between 50 and 55% (of which approximately 60% is in the U.S. and the rest in Mexico). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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16 pages, 14931 KiB  
Article
Modeling as a Tool for Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Prioritization
by Ashley E. P. Atkins, Saeed P. Langarudi and Alexander G. Fernald
Water 2021, 13(19), 2685; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13192685 - 28 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1768
Abstract
Transboundary aquifers are critical global water supplies facing unprecedented threats of depletion; existing efforts to assess these resources do not adequately account for the complexities of transboundary human and physical system interactions to the determinant of the impact of assessment outcomes. This study [...] Read more.
Transboundary aquifers are critical global water supplies facing unprecedented threats of depletion; existing efforts to assess these resources do not adequately account for the complexities of transboundary human and physical system interactions to the determinant of the impact of assessment outcomes. This study developed a system dynamics model with natural, human, and technical system components for a section of the transboundary Mesilla Basin/Conejos-Médanos aquifer to evaluate the following dynamic hypothesis: how and when information from a transboundary aquifer assessment is reported and perceived, in scenarios where two countries follow identical and different timeframes, dynamically impacts the behaviors of the shared aquifer. Simulation experiments were conducted to quantitatively assess the dynamics of transboundary aquifer assessment information reporting and perception delays. These critical feedbacks have not previously been incorporated practically in simulation and analysis. Simulation results showed that the timing and content of reporting can change the dynamic behavior of natural, human, and technical components of transboundary aquifer systems. This study demonstrates the potential for modeling to assist with prioritization efforts during the data collection and exchange phases to ensure that transboundary aquifer assessments achieve their intended outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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19 pages, 2418 KiB  
Article
Science and Binational Cooperation: Bidirectionality in the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program in the Arizona-Sonora Border Region
by Jacob D. Petersen-Perlman, Tamee R. Albrecht, Elia M. Tapia-Villaseñor, Robert G. Varady and Sharon B. Megdal
Water 2021, 13(17), 2364; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13172364 - 28 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3806
Abstract
Sharing scientific data and information is often cited within academic literature as an initial step of water cooperation, but the transfer of research findings into policy and practice is often slow and inconsistent. Certain attributes—including salience, credibility, and legitimacy of scientific information; iterative [...] Read more.
Sharing scientific data and information is often cited within academic literature as an initial step of water cooperation, but the transfer of research findings into policy and practice is often slow and inconsistent. Certain attributes—including salience, credibility, and legitimacy of scientific information; iterative information production; and sociocultural factors—may influence how easily scientific information can be used in management and policymaking. However, transnationality usually complicates these sorts of interactions. Accordingly, we argue that the production of scientific information and transboundary water cooperation build upon each other bidirectionally, each informing and enhancing the other. We employ a case-study analysis of the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP), a binational collaborative effort for scientific assessment of aquifers shared between Mexico and the United States. Here, information sharing was possible only by first completing a formal, jointly agreed-upon cooperative framework in 2009. This framework resulted in a collaborative science production process, suggesting that the relationship between sharing data and information and transboundary groundwater governance is iterative and self-reinforcing. In keeping with the publication of the TAAP’s first binational scientific report in 2016, we demonstrate the bidirectional relationship between science production and water governance in the TAAP and explore remaining challenges after scientific assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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17 pages, 990 KiB  
Article
Investigating Management of Transboundary Waters through Cooperation: A Serious Games Case Study of the Hueco Bolson Aquifer in Chihuahua, Mexico and Texas, United States
by Alex Mayer, Josiah Heyman, Alfredo Granados-Olivas, William Hargrove, Mathew Sanderson, Erica Martinez, Adrian Vazquez-Galvez and Luis Carlos Alatorre-Cejudo
Water 2021, 13(15), 2001; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13152001 - 21 Jul 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3498
Abstract
Management of transboundary aquifers is a vexing water resources challenge, especially when the aquifers are overexploited. The Hueco Bolson aquifer, which is bisected by the United States–Mexico border and where pumping far exceeds recharge, is an apt example. We conducted a binational, multisector, [...] Read more.
Management of transboundary aquifers is a vexing water resources challenge, especially when the aquifers are overexploited. The Hueco Bolson aquifer, which is bisected by the United States–Mexico border and where pumping far exceeds recharge, is an apt example. We conducted a binational, multisector, serious games workshop to explore collaborative solutions for extending the life of the shared aquifer. The value of the serious game workshop was building knowledge, interest, understanding, and constituency among critical stakeholders from both sides of the border. Participants also learned about negotiations and group decision-making while building mutual respect and trust. We did not achieve consensus, but a number of major outcomes emerged, including: (1) participants agreed that action is called for and that completely depleting the freshwater in the shared aquifer could be catastrophic to the region; (2) addressing depletion and prolonging the life of the aquifer will require binational action, because actions on only one side of the border is not enough; and (3) informal binational cooperation will be required to be successful. Agreeing that binational action is called for, the serious games intervention was an important next step toward improving management of this crucial binational resource. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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21 pages, 859 KiB  
Article
Twenty-First Century Science Calls for Twenty-First Century Groundwater Use Law: A Retrospective Analysis of Transboundary Governance Weaknesses and Future Implications in the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin
by Khafi Weekes and Gail Krantzberg
Water 2021, 13(13), 1768; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13131768 - 26 Jun 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3186
Abstract
How has groundwater use been historically governed by the binational to municipal government levels across the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin (GLB)? To what extent have they contemplated the physical–environmental requirements to maintain aquifer storage in devising policies and making decisions governing groundwater use? [...] Read more.
How has groundwater use been historically governed by the binational to municipal government levels across the Laurentian Great Lakes Basin (GLB)? To what extent have they contemplated the physical–environmental requirements to maintain aquifer storage in devising policies and making decisions governing groundwater use? Although it is amongst the largest freshwater stores in the globe, cases of groundwater shortages are increasingly being reported across GLB communities, raising questions on the fitness of governance approaches to maintain groundwater storage (GWS) with growing climate and human pressures. Applying retrospective analytical methods to assess the century-old collaboration of the United States and Canada to maintain GLB water quantities, we characterize long-term trends and undertake systematic diagnosis to gain insight into causal mechanisms that have persisted over the years resulting in current GWS governance gaps. We reveal the surprising prominence of policies originally intended to safeguard surface water quantities being used to govern groundwater use and thereby maintain GWS. We also connect these, based on sustainable aquifer yield theory, to growing groundwater insecurity in the Basin’s drought-prone and/or groundwater-dependent communities. Based on deep understanding of long-standing policy pathologies, findings inform transboundary GWS governance reform proposals that can be highly useful to multiple levels of government policymakers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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23 pages, 7231 KiB  
Article
Gradient Self-Potential Logging in the Rio Grande to Identify Gaining and Losing Reaches across the Mesilla Valley
by Scott Ikard, Andrew Teeple and Delbert Humberson
Water 2021, 13(10), 1331; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13101331 - 11 May 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3193
Abstract
The Rio Grande/Río Bravo del Norte (hereinafter referred to as the “Rio Grande”) is the primary source of recharge to the Mesilla Basin/Conejos-Médanos aquifer system in the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico and Texas. The Mesilla Basin aquifer system is the U.S. part [...] Read more.
The Rio Grande/Río Bravo del Norte (hereinafter referred to as the “Rio Grande”) is the primary source of recharge to the Mesilla Basin/Conejos-Médanos aquifer system in the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico and Texas. The Mesilla Basin aquifer system is the U.S. part of the Mesilla Basin/Conejos-Médanos aquifer system and is the primary source of water supply to several communities along the United States–Mexico border in and near the Mesilla Valley. Identifying the gaining and losing reaches of the Rio Grande in the Mesilla Valley is therefore critical for managing the quality and quantity of surface and groundwater resources available to stakeholders in the Mesilla Valley and downstream. A gradient self-potential (SP) logging survey was completed in the Rio Grande across the Mesilla Valley between 26 June and 2 July 2020, to identify reaches where surface-water gains and losses were occurring by interpreting an estimate of the streaming-potential component of the electrostatic field in the river, measured during bankfull flow. The survey, completed as part of the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program, began at Leasburg Dam in New Mexico near the northern terminus of the Mesilla Valley and ended ~72 kilometers (km) downstream at Canutillo, Texas. Electric potential data indicated a net losing condition for ~32 km between the Leasburg Dam and Mesilla Diversion Dam in New Mexico, with one ~200-m long reach showing an isolated saline-groundwater gaining condition. Downstream from the Mesilla Diversion Dam, electric-potential data indicated a neutral-to-mild gaining condition for 12 km that transitioned to a mild-to-moderate gaining condition between 12 and ~22 km downstream from the dam, before transitioning back to a losing condition along the remaining 18 km of the survey reach. The interpreted gaining and losing reaches are substantiated by potentiometric surface mapping completed in hydrostratigraphic units of the Mesilla Basin aquifer system between 2010 and 2011, and corroborated by surface-water temperature and conductivity logging and relative median streamflow gains and losses, quantified from streamflow measurements made annually at 16 seepage-measurement stations along the survey reach between 1988 and 1998 and between 2004 and 2013. The gaining and losing reaches of the Rio Grande in the Mesilla Valley, interpreted from electric potential data, compare well with relative median streamflow gains and losses along the 72-km long survey reach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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20 pages, 1895 KiB  
Article
The U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program as a Model for Transborder Groundwater Collaboration
by Elia M. Tapia-Villaseñor and Sharon B. Megdal
Water 2021, 13(4), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13040530 - 18 Feb 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4129
Abstract
The assessment of transboundary aquifers is essential for the development of groundwater management strategies and the sustainable use of groundwater resources. The Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) is a joint effort by the United States and Mexico to evaluate shared aquifers. This study [...] Read more.
The assessment of transboundary aquifers is essential for the development of groundwater management strategies and the sustainable use of groundwater resources. The Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) is a joint effort by the United States and Mexico to evaluate shared aquifers. This study examines the TAAP Cooperative Framework as a guide for further transboundary groundwater collaboration. We compared lessons learned from six transboundary aquifers that currently have mechanisms for groundwater collaboration to identify common elements of collaboration. Though the TAAP Cooperative Framework governs an assessment-only program, the elements of collaboration included are consistent with the principles of other institutional agreements around the world. Importantly, all the analyzed agreements included a knowledge-improvement phase, which is the main objective of the TAAP Cooperative Framework. The present study finds evidence of successful outcomes within the TAAP Cooperative Framework consistent with available transboundary groundwater management agreements, demonstrating that this approach is suited to serve as a model for those wishing to engage in transborder aquifer assessments. Furthermore, the TAAP elements of collaboration can help to establish the meaningful and robust binational cooperation necessary for the development of U.S.-Mexico groundwater management agreements at the aquifer level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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Review

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36 pages, 6914 KiB  
Review
Mesilla/Conejos-Médanos Basin: U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Water Resources
by Andrew J. Robertson, Anne-Marie Matherne, Jeff D. Pepin, Andre B. Ritchie, Donald S. Sweetkind, Andrew P. Teeple, Alfredo Granados-Olivas, Ana Cristina García-Vásquez, Kenneth C. Carroll, Erek H. Fuchs and Amy E. Galanter
Water 2022, 14(2), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14020134 - 06 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3005
Abstract
Synthesizing binational data to characterize shared water resources is critical to informing binational management. This work uses binational hydrogeology and water resource data in the Mesilla/Conejos-Médanos Basin (Basin) to describe the hydrologic conceptual model and identify potential research that could help inform sustainable [...] Read more.
Synthesizing binational data to characterize shared water resources is critical to informing binational management. This work uses binational hydrogeology and water resource data in the Mesilla/Conejos-Médanos Basin (Basin) to describe the hydrologic conceptual model and identify potential research that could help inform sustainable management. The Basin aquifer is primarily composed of continuous basin-fill Santa Fe Group sediments, allowing for transboundary throughflow. Groundwater flow, however, may be partially or fully restricted by intrabasin uplifts and limited recharge. The shallow groundwater in the Rio Grande alluvium receives recharge from the Rio Grande and responds to changes in water supply and demand. About 11% of Rio Grande alluvial groundwater volume is recharged annually, an amount that is less than recent withdrawals. Potentially recoverable fresh to slightly brackish groundwater was estimated at 82,600 cubic hectometers in the U.S. portion of the Basin and 69,100 cubic hectometers in the Mexican portion. Alluvial groundwater geochemistry is governed by the evaporative concentration of the Rio Grande and agricultural diversions, whereas deeper groundwater geochemistry is governed by mixing and geochemical processes. Continued refinements to storage estimates, the water budget, and deep groundwater extent and geochemistry can improve estimates of sustainable use and inform alternative water sources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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18 pages, 7256 KiB  
Review
A Review of Climate Change Impacts on the USA-Mexico Transboundary Santa Cruz River Basin
by Eylon Shamir, Elia M. Tapia-Villaseñor, Mary-Belle Cruz-Ayala and Sharon B. Megdal
Water 2021, 13(10), 1390; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13101390 - 16 May 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3918
Abstract
In the parched Upper Santa Cruz River Basin (USCRB), a binational USA–Mexico basin, the water resources depend on rainfall-triggered infrequent flow events in ephemeral channels to recharge its storage-limited aquifers. In-situ data from the basin highlight a year-round warming trend since the 1980s [...] Read more.
In the parched Upper Santa Cruz River Basin (USCRB), a binational USA–Mexico basin, the water resources depend on rainfall-triggered infrequent flow events in ephemeral channels to recharge its storage-limited aquifers. In-situ data from the basin highlight a year-round warming trend since the 1980s and a concerning decline in average precipitation (streamflow) from 1955–2000 to 2001–2020 by 50% (87.6%) and 17% (63%) during the winter and summer, respectively. Binational sustainable management of the basins water resources requires a careful consideration of prospective climatic changes. In this article we review relevant studies with climate projections for the mid-21st century of four weather systems that affect the region’s precipitation. First, the North American Monsoon (NAM) weather system accounts for ~60% of the region’s annual rainfall. The total NAM precipitation is projected to decline while heavy rainfall events are expected to intensify. Second, the frequency of the pacific cold fronts, the region’s prevalent source of winter precipitation, is projected to decline. Third, the frequency and intensity of future atmospheric rivers, a weather system that brings winter rainfall to the region, are projected to increase. Fourth, the frequency and intensity of large eastern pacific tropical cyclones (TC) are expected to increase. On rare occasions, remnants of TC make their way to the USCRB to cause storms with considerable impact on the region’s water resources. In contrast to the high confidence projections for the warming trend to persist throughout the mid-21st century, the precipitation projections of these four weather systems affecting the region encompass large uncertainties and studies have often reported contradicting trends. An added source of uncertainty is that the USCRB is located at the periphery of the four rain-bearing weather systems and small mesoscale changes in these weather systems may have accentuated impacts on their edges. Despite the high uncertainty in the projections of future precipitation, the early 21st century drying trend and the projected mid-21st century decline in precipitation events serve as a pressing call for planning and actions to attain sustainable water resources management that reliably satisfies future demands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Transboundary Aquifer Assessment)
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