Collaborative Modeling to Evaluate Water Management Scenarios in the Rio Grande Basin

Sandoval-Solís, Samuel; Teasley, Rebecca; McKinney, Daene C.; Thomas, Gregory A.; Patiño-Gómez, Carlos

doi:10.1111/jawr.12070

Cited by 25 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…A number of recent case studies that highlight local water managers' identified strategies and barriers in adapting to climate-induced water supply variability compare well with our case study findings [29,31,36,45,[88][89][90]. In the Wasatch Range of northern Utah, for example, water managers described challenges with enhancing water supply to meet growing population demand, obtaining funds to build and restore aging infrastructure, and coordinating diverse water use interests [31].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

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Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Sterle

Singletary

2017

Water

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Abstract:In snow-fed inland river systems in the western United States, water supply depends upon timing, form, and amount of precipitation. In recent years, this region has experienced unprecedented drought conditions due to decreased snowpack, exacerbated by exceptionally warmer winter temperatures averaging 3-4 • C above normal. In the snow-fed Truckee-Carson River System, two sets of interviews were conducted as part of a larger collaborative modeling case study with local water managers to examine local adaptation to current drought conditions. A comparative analysis of these primary qualitative data, collected during the fourth and fifth consecutive years of continued warmer drought conditions, identifies shifts in adaptation strategies and emergent adaptation barriers. That is, under continuous exposure to climate stressors, managers shifted their adaptation focus from short-term efforts to manage water demand toward long-term efforts to enhance water supply. Managers described the need to: improve forecasts and scientific assessments of snowmelt timing, groundwater levels, and soil moisture content; increase flexibility of prior appropriation water allocation rules based on historical snowpack and streamflow timing; and foster collaboration and communication among water managers across the river system. While water scarcity and insufficient water delivery infrastructure remain significant impediments in this arid region, climate uncertainty emerged as a barrier surrounding adaptation to variable water supply. Existing prior appropriation based water institutions were also described as an adaptation barrier, meriting objective evaluation to assess how to best modify these historical institutions to support dynamic adaptation to climate-induced water supply variability. This study contributes to a growing body of research that assesses drought adaptation in snow-fed inland river systems, and contributes a unique report concerning how adaptation strategies and barriers encountered by local water managers change over time under continuous exposure to climate stressors. These locally identified adaptation strategies forward a larger collaborative modeling case study by informing alternative water management scenarios simulated through a suite of hydrologic and operations models tailored to this river system.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…Thus, collaborative research that facilitates increased communication and coordination should inform future climate planning so that it meets the needs of diverse water users [90].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Sterle

Singletary

2017

Water

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“…Efficient and effective water management requires collaboration among stakeholders to achieve common goals in allocating limited water resources [87]. There is a potential for the market to move toward integrated We find that for up to $154 million, including transaction costs, a maximum of 800 million m 3 (650,000 ac-ft) of water use could be avoided by implementing four best management practices for irrigation efficiency across Hidalgo and Cameron counties in South Texas.…”

Section: Opportunities For Collaboration: Irrigation and Hydraulic Frmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Efficient and effective water management requires collaboration among stakeholders to achieve common goals in allocating limited water resources [87]. There is a potential for the market to move toward integrated partnerships that benefit irrigators or irrigation districts and oil and gas operators rather than existing adaptive strategies to combat water stress.…”

Section: Opportunities For Collaboration: Irrigation and Hydraulic Frmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food, Fracking, and Freshwater: The Potential for Markets and Cross-Sectoral Investments to Enable Water Conservation

Cook

Webber

2016

Water

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Hydraulic fracturing-the injection of pressurized fluid, often water, to increase recovery of oil or gas-has become increasingly popular in combination with horizontal drilling. Hydraulic fracturing improves production from a well, but requires a significant amount of water to do so and could put pressure on existing water resources, especially in water-stressed areas. To supply water needs, some water rights holders sell or lease their water resources to oil and gas producers in an informal water market. These transactions enable the opportunity for cross-sectoral investments, by which the energy sector either directly or indirectly provides the capital for water efficiency improvements in the agricultural sector as a mechanism to increase water availability for other purposes, including oil and gas production. In this analysis, we employ an original water and cost model to evaluate the water market in Texas and the potential for cross-sectoral collaboration on water efficiency improvements through a case study of the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. We find that, if irrigation efficiency management practices were fully implemented, between 420 and 800 million m 3 of water could be spared per year over a ten year period, potentially enabling freshwater use in oil and gas production for up to 26,000 wells, while maintaining agricultural productivity and possibly improving water flows to the ecosystem.

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“…We included Sandoval‐Solis et al . () to represent “shared vision planning” as a collaborative modeling approach closely related to (but not always including) system dynamics (Cardwell and Langsdale, ; Mirchi et al ., ; Langsdale et al ., ; Palmer et al ., ; Rivera et al ., ; Collier et al ., ). Based on these criteria, 16 case studies were reviewed to derive evidence about key benefits and limits experienced by stakeholders and facilitators in the domain of water management.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediated Modeling in Water Resource Dialogues Connecting Multiple Scales

Belt

Blake

2015

J American Water Resour Assoc

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We observe a paradigm shift toward collaborative, multi‐level (from local to global) water management and suggestions for scale‐related design principles in the literature. Decision‐support tools are needed that can help achieve scale design principles. Mediated modeling (MM) refers to model building with people, rather than for people. This tool belongs to a family of participatory, systems oriented tools. This article explores their suitability for addressing challenges and principles that arise at multiple‐scales. MM can promote the understanding of cross‐level and cross‐scale links, creating salient, credible, and legitimate knowledge and encouraging boundary functions. Prerequisites for successful MM processes include an openness and willingness to collaborative learning. As new “meso‐level” institutions emerge to address complex challenges in water management collaboratively, tools like MM may play an important role in structuring dialogues, developing adaptive management capacity and advance an ecosystem services approach.

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Collaborative Modeling to Evaluate Water Management Scenarios in the Rio Grande Basin

Cited by 25 publications

References 14 publications

Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA

Food, Fracking, and Freshwater: The Potential for Markets and Cross-Sectoral Investments to Enable Water Conservation

Mediated Modeling in Water Resource Dialogues Connecting Multiple Scales

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