Dr. Samuel Sandoval SolisIn collaboration with:

Janet Escorcia, Jesus Loredo, Pablo Ortiz, Laura Garza, Shona Paterson, Luzma Nava, John (Jack) Schmidt and Todd Blythe

University of California, DavisDepartment of Land, Air and Water Resources

Balancing Human and Environmental Water Needs in the

Rio Grande - Rio Bravo

Natural HydrologyLobatos, COSan Marcial, NMPresidio, TX

Natural

Flow Regime

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Dis

char

ge (

m3/s

)

100

200

400

300

0

Rio ConchosRGB below Rio ConchosRGB below Rio ConchosRGB below DevilsRGB below Rio SaladoRGB at Gulf of Mexico

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Dis

char

ge (

m3/s

)200

400

800

600

0

Blythe and Schmidt (2018), Escorcia (2017) and Loredo (2018)

Water Infrastructure

Elep

han

t B

utt

e &

La

Bo

qu

illa

Falc

on A

mis

tad

Mexico

United States

Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

Ven

ust

ian

oC

arra

nza

El C

uch

illo

Mar

teR

. G

om

ez

Ab

iqu

iu Co

chit

i

Sandoval-Solis S.(2011). Integrated Water Resources Management for transboundary basins. Case of Study Rio Grande/Bravo Basin. Dissertation. University of Texas at Austin. Austin, TX.

Lobatos, COModern Hydrology

Natural

Flow Regime

Regulated

San Marcial, NMPresidio, TX

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Dis

char

ge (

m3/s

)

100

200

400

300

0

Rio ConchosRGB below Rio ConchosRGB below AmistadRGB below FalconRGB at the Gulf of Mexico

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Dis

char

ge (

m3/s

)100

200

400

300

0Dis

char

ge (

m3/s

)150

300

600

450

0Dis

char

ge (

m3/s

)200

400

800

600

0

Blythe and Schmidt (2018), Escorcia (2017) and Loredo (2018)

Opportunities: Conjunctive Use of SW & GW

Natural

Flow Regime

Regulated

In Lieu GW Banking

GW Banking

Baseline

Rio ConchosMeoqui Aquifer

LRGV – BRBChicot Aquifer

Opportunities: Environmental Flows

Natural

Flow Regime

Regulated

Rio Conchos

Big Bend

Salado

Mouth of the River 0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Big Bend Reach

Rio Conchos

Forgotten Reach

What’s next?

Natural

Flow Regime

Water Demand • Water conservation

• Deficit irrigation & cropmanagement

• Environmental flows

• Buy back water right

Water Supply• Conjunctive use of SW, GW,

Recycle, Desal water

• Water Reuse

Storage• Reservoir re-operation

• Managed Aquifer Recharge

No Silver BulletsAll of the above

Regulated

samsandoval@ucdavis.edu

http://watermanagement.ucdavis.edu

Water Governance

Opportunities

Natural

Flow Regime

Regulated

In Lieu GW Banking

Opportunities

Natural

Flow Regime

Regulated

In Lieu GW Banking