Opportunities for Restoring Environmental Flows in the Rio Grande–Rio Bravo Basin Spanning the US–Mexico BorderSource: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management:;2024:;Volume ( 150 ):;issue: 002::page 04023079-1Author:Brian D. Richter
,
Enrique Prunes
,
Ning Liu
,
Peter Caldwell
,
Dongyang Wei
,
Kyle Frankel Davis
,
Samuel Sandoval-Solis
,
Gabriela Rendon Herrera
,
Ramon Saiz Rodriguez
,
Yufei Ao
,
Gambhir Lamsal
,
Maria Amaya
,
Natalie Shahbol
,
Landon Marston
DOI: 10.1061/JWRMD5.WRENG-6278Publisher: ASCE
Abstract: The Rio Grande–Rio Bravo’s flow regime has been highly altered for more than 130 years, yet the river ecosystem still supports important biodiversity including numerous endangered species. More than 80% of water consumed in the basin goes to irrigating farms, but in recent decades, farmers have repeatedly experienced severe water shortages. Given this water-scarce condition, any plans for enhancing environmental flows must be carefully designed to minimize impacts or provide benefits to agriculture. This study describes the development of the Rio Grande–Rio Bravo’s first whole-basin hydrologic model—representing both the United States and Mexico portions of the basin—to enable exploration of environmental flow restoration needs and options for meeting these needs. We then demonstrate an analytical process in which environmental flow needs are compared to existing flow conditions to quantify gaps, and then evaluate how those gaps can be filled by reducing farm irrigation needs by shifting to less water-intensive crops and fallowing a portion of existing farmland while maintaining or improving net revenues. In our pilot assessment we find that an improvement of 2.2 m3/s would fill the environmental flow gap for late-summer low-flow conditions at Albuquerque, New Mexico. This flow enhancement is attainable by fallowing 18%–26% of cropland and shifting to more profitable and less water-intensive crops to sustain overall farm revenues.
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contributor author | Brian D. Richter | |
contributor author | Enrique Prunes | |
contributor author | Ning Liu | |
contributor author | Peter Caldwell | |
contributor author | Dongyang Wei | |
contributor author | Kyle Frankel Davis | |
contributor author | Samuel Sandoval-Solis | |
contributor author | Gabriela Rendon Herrera | |
contributor author | Ramon Saiz Rodriguez | |
contributor author | Yufei Ao | |
contributor author | Gambhir Lamsal | |
contributor author | Maria Amaya | |
contributor author | Natalie Shahbol | |
contributor author | Landon Marston | |
date accessioned | 2024-04-27T22:35:01Z | |
date available | 2024-04-27T22:35:01Z | |
date issued | 2024/02/01 | |
identifier other | 10.1061-JWRMD5.WRENG-6278.pdf | |
identifier uri | http://yetl.yabesh.ir/yetl1/handle/yetl/4296998 | |
description abstract | The Rio Grande–Rio Bravo’s flow regime has been highly altered for more than 130 years, yet the river ecosystem still supports important biodiversity including numerous endangered species. More than 80% of water consumed in the basin goes to irrigating farms, but in recent decades, farmers have repeatedly experienced severe water shortages. Given this water-scarce condition, any plans for enhancing environmental flows must be carefully designed to minimize impacts or provide benefits to agriculture. This study describes the development of the Rio Grande–Rio Bravo’s first whole-basin hydrologic model—representing both the United States and Mexico portions of the basin—to enable exploration of environmental flow restoration needs and options for meeting these needs. We then demonstrate an analytical process in which environmental flow needs are compared to existing flow conditions to quantify gaps, and then evaluate how those gaps can be filled by reducing farm irrigation needs by shifting to less water-intensive crops and fallowing a portion of existing farmland while maintaining or improving net revenues. In our pilot assessment we find that an improvement of 2.2 m3/s would fill the environmental flow gap for late-summer low-flow conditions at Albuquerque, New Mexico. This flow enhancement is attainable by fallowing 18%–26% of cropland and shifting to more profitable and less water-intensive crops to sustain overall farm revenues. | |
publisher | ASCE | |
title | Opportunities for Restoring Environmental Flows in the Rio Grande–Rio Bravo Basin Spanning the US–Mexico Border | |
type | Journal Article | |
journal volume | 150 | |
journal issue | 2 | |
journal title | Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management | |
identifier doi | 10.1061/JWRMD5.WRENG-6278 | |
journal fristpage | 04023079-1 | |
journal lastpage | 04023079-11 | |
page | 11 | |
tree | Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management:;2024:;Volume ( 150 ):;issue: 002 | |
contenttype | Fulltext |