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

Patiño-Gómez, Carlos; McKinney, Daene C.; Maidment, David R.

doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9496(2007)133:5(416)

Cited by 30 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Model inputs included historical reservoir data (operational and physical), diversion and return flows, and monthly streamflows (Patino‐Gomez et al ., ; Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA), ; International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), ). Historical streamflow data were based on US Geological Survey gauge station data (CONAGUA, ; IBWC, ); median daily flows were summed to create a monthly streamflow volume time series.…”

Section: Policy Development: Preliminary Methods and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…evaporation and seepage) between gauge stations. Historical streamflow, diversions and returns, reservoir storage, and evaporation data were used to estimate IFs (Patino‐Gomez et al ., ; CONAGUA, ; IBWC, ), and gains and losses were adjusted in the model calibration process (Lane, ).…”

Section: Policy Development: Preliminary Methods and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Increasing population, long‐term drought, and climatic uncertainty are magnifying water management concerns. The basin's population of 10.5 million is projected to double over the next three decades (Patino‐Gomez et al ., ), while climate projections suggest that mean annual run‐off will decrease by 7 to 14% by 2050 (USBR, ), which translates to significant water supply reductions.…”

Section: Case Study: Big Bend Reach Of the Rio Grande/bravo Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental Flows in a Human-Dominated System: Integrated Water Management Strategies for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

2014

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Water management in the transboundary Rio Grande/Bravo (RGB) Basin, shared by the US and Mexico, is complicated by extreme hydrologic variability, overallocation, and international treaty obligations. Heavy regulation of the RGB has degraded binationally protected ecosystems along the Big Bend Reach of the RGB. This study addresses the need for integrated water management in Big Bend by developing an alternative reservoir operation policy to provide environmental flows while reducing water management trade‐offs. A reach‐scale water planning model was used to represent historical hydrology (1955–2009), water allocation, and reservoir operations, and key human water management objectives (water supply, flood control, and binational treaty obligations) were quantified. Spatially distributed environmental flow objectives and an alternative reservoir rule curve were developed. We simulated current and alternative water management policies and used an iterative simulation–evaluation process to evaluate alternative policies based on water system performance criteria with respect to specified objectives. A single optimal policy was identified that maximized environmental flows while maintaining specified human objectives. By changing the timing but not the volume of releases, the proposed reservoir re‐operation policy has the potential to sustain key ecological and geomorphic functions in Big Bend without significantly impacting current water management objectives. The proposed policy also improved water supply provisions, reduced average annual flood risk, and maintained historical treaty provisions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Policy Development: Preliminary Methods and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Policy Development: Preliminary Methods and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Case Study: Big Bend Reach Of the Rio Grande/bravo Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental Flows in a Human-Dominated System: Integrated Water Management Strategies for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

2014

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“…1(a)]; it has a drainage basin of 557,722 km 2 with an estimated population in 2010 of 10.5 million people (Patiño-Gomez et al 2007). Important pristine areas in both countries depend on the water in the river for their environmental requirements.…”

Section: Rgb Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Big Bend model is a water-planning model that calculates the balance between inflows, change of storage in reservoirs, water demands, and outflows. CONAGUA, TCEQ, and IBWC provided data for inflows, streamflow data, capacities, storage-elevation curves, and evaporation losses in reservoirs (Patiño-Gomez et al 2007, CONAGUA 2008a, IBWC 2011. Table 1 shows the water demands considered in the model.…”

Section: Water Planning Model For the Big Bend Reachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrated Water Management for Environmental Flows in the Rio Grande

Sandoval-Solís

McKinney

2014

J. Water Resour. Plann. Manage.

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In the Rio Grande transboundary basin, environmental flows have not been considered as an integral part of the water management. This research focuses on the Big Bend, a reach located along the Rio Grande mainstem. Important natural regions of the Chihuahuan Desert are threatened due to the lack of environmental flows. In this paper is estimated the maximum volume of water available for environmental flows without affecting human and international water requirements, and without increasing the flood risk in Presidio-Ojinaga. Environmental flows are proposed based on an analysis of the prior reservoir alteration hydrology of the river. A planning model was built to simulate the water allocation system and evaluate alternative policies. A reservoir reoperation policy for Luis L. Leon reservoir is proposed to supply environmental flows without violating the system constraints. The policy that supplies the maximum water to the environment is two-thirds (66%) of the prior reservoir alteration conditions; it also improves human water supply, treaty obligations, and decreases flood risk.

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Estimating the Natural Flow Regime of Rivers With Long‐Standing Development: The Northern Branch of the Rio Grande

Blythe

Schmidt

2018

Water Resources Research

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An estimate of a river's natural flow regime is useful for water resource planning and ecosystem rehabilitation by providing insight into the predisturbance form and function of a river. The natural flow regime of most rivers has been perturbed by development during the 20th century and in some cases, before stream gaging began. The temporal resolution of natural flows estimated using traditional methods is typically not sufficient to evaluate cues that drive native ecosystem function. Additionally, these traditional methods are watershed specific and require large amounts of data to produce accurate results. We present a mass balance method that estimates natural flows at daily time step resolution for the northern branch of the Rio Grande, upstream from the Rio Conchos, that relies only on easily obtained streamflow data. Using an analytical change point method, we identified periods of the measured flow regime during the 20th century for comparison with the estimated natural flows. Our results highlight the significant deviation from natural conditions that occurred during the 20th century. The total annual flow of the northern branch is 95% lower than it would be in the absence of human use. The current 2 year flood has decreased by more than 60%, is shorter in duration, and peaks later in the year. When compared to unregulated flows estimated using traditional mass balance accounting methods, our approach provides similar results.

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

Cited by 30 publications

References 2 publications

Environmental Flows in a Human-Dominated System: Integrated Water Management Strategies for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

Environmental Flows in a Human-Dominated System: Integrated Water Management Strategies for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

Integrated Water Management for Environmental Flows in the Rio Grande

Estimating the Natural Flow Regime of Rivers With Long‐Standing Development: The Northern Branch of the Rio Grande

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