Sharing Water Resources Data in the Binational Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

Abstract

The development of relational databases from which simulation models can access data needed to describe the systems being modeled is fundamental to integrated river basin management, especially in shared, transboundary basins. Creating a geographically referenced database, a geodatabase, for the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin represents the first major attempt to establish a more complete understanding of the basin as a whole, using both Mexican and United States geospatial and temporal water resources data. From the geodatabase, it is possible to obtain information about climatology, water availability, water uses, hydraulic infrastructure, and watershed properties in the basin. These data can be used in simulation models to calculate the state of basin water availability under different climatic and development scenarios and management plans in the future. This geodatabase is intended to be a tool to assist in sharing data to enhance binational cooperation between Mexico and the United States concerning water in this basin, providing accurate and reliable data necessary for analysis and resolution of water resources issues.