GIS Applications in the Delineation of the Trans-Boundary Resources in the Paso Del Norte Region along the Border of the United States and Mexico

摘要

In this paper authors present concepts of applications of GIS in water resources planning and management utilizing the Paso Del Norte Region as an example. The Paso Del Norte Region covers a region of almost 5,000 square kilometers, and encompasses two countries and three of the fastest growing desert cities in the southwest; Las Cruces, NM, El Paso, TX in the United States and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua in Mexico, that all share the same water resources: two aquifers, Hueco Bolson and Mesilla Bolson, and the only renewable source of water from the Rio Grande. Therefore it is very important to have a better understanding of the regional water sources in the Paso Del Norte Region in terms of quantity, quality, and geographic location. A key element in the analysis, exploration, and conservation of water resources is the Geographic Information System (GIS) and associated database. This paper will focus on the delineation of the groundwater resources in the region. The objective of this study is to integrate water and aquifer data—water depth, water thickness, water quality, well information, and recharge and discharge (canals, drains and mountain-front recharge), boundary of aquifers in the region into one utilizable database. It will also incorporate the data of available gravity, surface and sub-surface geology, and predicted water levels from the groundwater flow models. This study will examine the results of initial models of various groundwater datasets and their implications. The data within the GIS will allow us to have a better understanding of water quantity and quality in the region. It also gives us the ability to visualize water data spatially as well as temporally. Preliminary results of this project are encouraging and show great potential in water resources management and planning