World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2018
Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water Hydrologic Processes in New Mexico-Texas-Mexico Border Region
Publication: World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2018: Groundwater, Sustainability, and Hydro-Climate/Climate Change
ABSTRACT
Watershed modeling facilitates informed water resources management. Understanding the magnitude and timing of hydrologic fluxes, and natural and anthropogenic processes that govern water availability is key for allocation of limited water resources to competing sectors in arid regions. In this study, soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) is applied to model an agricultural watershed facing water resources challenges in a portion of the Middle Rio Grande Basin located in the New Mexico-Texas-Mexico border region where agricultural activities rely on conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater supply. The model is calibrated and validated under baseline conditions in the arid climate to evaluate potential impacts of climate change. Climate change scenarios are based on downscaled temperature and precipitation projections and projected inflows to Elephant Butte Reservoir, the main surface water source in the region. Simulation of key components of the regional water budget, including stream flow, evapotranspiration, and recharge improves understanding of regional water availability under climate change. The model is useful for exploring the impact of different water and land management strategies to cope with extreme climatic events.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2015-68007-23130. Inputs from members of the re-search team on this USDA funded project are gratefully acknowledged. In particular, the authors thank contributions from Zhuping Sheng, Sora Ahn, Shalamu Abudu, Alex Mayer, Frank Ward, David Gutzler, and Nolan Thomas Townsend. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Published In
World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2018: Groundwater, Sustainability, and Hydro-Climate/Climate Change
Pages: 273 - 279
Editor: Sri Kamojjala, Las Vegas Valley Water District
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8141-7
Copyright
© 2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: May 31, 2018
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