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Lower Rio Grande Regional Water Plan

Presentation Prepared by:

Terracon Livingston & Associates John Shomaker & Associates Zia Engineering & Environmental Sites Southwest

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Presentation Outline What is the Lower Rio Grande Regional Water Plan

& Why is it Important? Background of NM Regional Planning Efforts Planning Region Regional Water Plan Approach / Scope

Water Supply Surface Water Groundwater

Water Demand Current Use Projected Use

Water Plan Alternatives Public Involvement / Outreach Develop Water Master Plan Document

The Lower Rio Grande Water Plan and You

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What is the Lower Rio Grande Regional Water Plan?

The Lower Rio Grande Regional Water Plan is a plan to assess and quantify the water resources available to the Planning Region

This includes analysis of the surface and groundwater supply, demographic analysis, population projections to 2040, current water demand, projected water demand, and strategies for future management of the Planning Region's water

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Why is the Lower Rio Grande Regional Water Plan Important?

Can be used as a water resource planning tool and reference document

May have important implications for legal decisions Maintain our agricultural heritage Preserve the environment Identify sustainable water supplies Plan for drought

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The original impetus for regional water planning came in 1987 when

a federal court ruled that New Mexico's prohibition against out-of-

state transfer of New Mexico groundwater was unconstitutional Regional water plans that were done in the past followed a diversity

of approaches and used a variety of different assumptions to

produce projections of water use As has been done in other western states, New Mexico is developing

a State water plan The ISC appointed a subcommittee and volunteer work group well

versed in water management issues to develop the template to guide

the development of regional water plans. Although a water plan for the region was completed in 1994, this plan

does not contain all of the information required by the Water

Planning Template.

Background of NM Regional Planning Efforts

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Study Area

The study area is chiefly comprised of the area within Dona Ana County, excluding portions of the Tularosa and Mimbres Basins within in the County. The study area also includes the portion of Sierra County within the boundaries of the Elephant Butte Irrigation District and the portion of the Hueco Bolson within Otero County.

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Planning Template Executive Summary Introduction Public Involvement Strategies to Maximize Public

Involvement Background Information

Description of Region Historical Overview

Legal Issues Water Resources Assessment

Water Supply Water Quality

Water Demand Present uses Future Uses (40 years) Water Conservation

Alternatives

Regional Water Plan Approach/ScopeContract Tasks

Water Supply Study Surface Water Groundwater

Water Demand Study Current and Historic Use Projected Use Water Budget

Water Plan Alternatives Public Involvement/Outreach Develop Regional Water Plan

Document

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Caballo

ConveyanceSystem

IrrigatedLand

Groundwater

DrainFlows

Atm

osph

ere

SeepageExfiltration

Pum

ping

Return

Diversion

Bypass (spill)Delivery

Deep Percolation

StormFlow

Bypass (spill)

Seepage

Release

Rio G

rande

M&IUsers

PumpingDeep Perc.

Discharges

Imported WaterExported Water

Non-irrigatedLand

Rio Grande at El Paso

Pum

ping

Dee

p P

erco

lati

on

ETPrecip

ETPrecip

Drainage

ET Precip

District Hydrology

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Regional Water Plan Water Supply - Surface Water

Historical Weather Data Relying on existing records of the National Weather Service and NM State

Climatological Office In most instances, there are consistent records dating back to the mid-1940’s

for the area

Inventory of Existing Conditions Physical drainage basins - general surface hydrologic description of the

planning area Flow from ungauged streams - no other perennial streams, flow from all

intermittent systems are captured by existing gauge networks Stream gauge locations - USGS, EBID Water quality impacts - minor impacts from agricultural and domestic sources.

Results to date have not exceeded regulatory levels Stream connected groundwater - significant ties between Rio Grande system

(and irrigated lands) and groundwater supplies

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Reservoir Rio Grande

River/Diversion

Diversion

Main C

anals

Lat

eral

s

Conveyance/Distribution

Deliveries

Farm Delivery/Irrigation

Drains

Return Flows

DownstreamUsers

Irrigation Hydrologic Cycle: Plan View

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GroundwaterGroundwater

Diversion/ConveyanceDiversion/Conveyance

DrainageDrainage ReturnReturnFlowFlow

SeepageSeepage

WellWell

CropCropWaterWaterUseUse

IrrigationIrrigationCanalCanal

FieldFieldDrainDrain Rio Rio

GrandeGrande

Irrigation Hydrologic Cycle: Profile

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Regional Water Plan Water Supply Groundwater

There are four major groundwater basins in

the Planning Region: Mesilla and Rincon Basins

Important basins for economic development

Pumping is at the expense of the Rio Grande

surface water flow

Recharge to the basins is via seepage from

the Rio Grande and irrigation canals

Jornada del Muerto Recharge is from mountain rainfall, subsurface

groundwater flow and geothermal upwellings

Hueco Bolson Only 3 percent is actually in New Mexico

Recharge is from the Tularosa Basin,

mountain front recharge and minor amounts

from the Mesilla Basin

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Regional Water Plan Water Demand Current Use

Demand By Category Public Utilities Domestic Irrigation/Agriculture Livestock Commercial

Currently, there is no domestic or public utilities reliance on surface supplies There are approximately 78 Mutual Domestic and Municipal Water Supply

Systems within the Plan area. The number of people served by each systems ranges from 23 people to more than 80,000

Irrigation/Agriculture use accounts for approximately 90% of the total current usage

Irrigated lands - while acreages have shown slight decreases, water demand has remained constant and in some instances, has increased due to high demand crops and multiple cropping during the year

Industrial Mining Power Reservoir Evaporation Fish, Wildlife & Recreation

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Regional Water Plan Water Demand Future Use

2000 census data was used for the demand projections Future demand analysis reflect use categories described earlier A base assumption in development of the plan is that there will be no new

water supplies and the current and future water resource is finite and limited

Major future changes in use within the region are anticipated to reflect a shift for municipal usage from full reliance on groundwater to partial reliance on surface water as populations expand and groundwater reserves are depleted

As there becomes a need to rely upon surface water, drought impacts will become a significant concern. Therefore, contingency planning for drought periods is necessary

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Regional Water Plan Alternatives

Identify alternatives to meeting current and future demands Alternatives are to address:

Management Conservation Water Development (no new sources are assumed) Infrastructure Development Water Quality Management

Alternatives are to be compared based on: Technical Feasibility Political Feasibility Social and Cultural Impacts Financial Feasibility Implementation Schedule Physical, Hydrologic and Environmental Impacts.

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Regional Water Plan Potential Alternatives Water Shed Management De-salination Underground Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Reclaimed Water/ Re-use Residential/ Commercial Water Conservation Agriculture Conservation (EBID suggestions)

Installation of canal liners Control of weeds in conveyance structures Land leveling/ optimum tillage Select/ Improve proper irrigation application measures

Surface Water Capture Development of Deep Groundwater Supplies Importation of Water Use of surface water to meet human consumptive use

requirements coupled with aggressive conservation and re-use strategies

Leasing of Agricultural Water to Municipal & Industrial Use

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Tentative Structure for Transfers of Water to Special Water Users Associations

Total Allotmen

t

Agricultural Users

SWUA

Agricultural Pool

Municipal Pool

AgriculturalWater Used

MunicipalWater

(SWTP)Transfer Process:

Leases:Negotiated

Price

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Regional Water Plan Conservation

Education and Awareness Training Water is valuable Low rainfall in the region Depletion of potable water resources

Water Conservation Ordinances Odd/ even water schedules No water allowed to run continuously Leaks must be repaired within five (5) days

Landscape Ordinance Using recommended plants for the Planning Region Promotion of underground irrigation systems

Rate Structure Adopt a conservation-oriented waste structure Increasing block rate for residential customers

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Public Involvement / Outreach

Intent Increase public awareness of the Regional Water Plan Involve local citizens and groups as stakeholders in the planning process Ensure consideration of all points of view

Approach Public Involvement Plan Lower Rio Grande Water Users Organization (LRGWUO) - Technical

Advisory Group/ Steering Committee Public Outreach

Documentation and Incorporation of Input Public Meeting Notes Public Hearing Transcripts Input summaries into key word database Plan revisions to reflect input from Public Meetings

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Regional Water Plan

zia

 consultants, Inc.

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The Lower Rio Grande Regional Water Plan and You!

Why should I get involved?

Water is our most important resource

The LRGWUO depends on your ideas to develop a plan that truly

takes into account the interests of all Planning Region residents

There are a number of ways to get involved in the project:

Participate in public meetings

Call our toll-free: 1-866-DAC-PLAN (322-7526) or in Las Cruces call

527-1041, ask for Mary Wells (mewells@terracon.com)

Review the draft and final plans at selected public buildings

Web site @ www.lrgwuo-waterplan.com