Examples of Impact of Past Water Management and Geologic Setting on - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Examples of Impact of Past Water Management and Geologic Setting on Resilient Water Planning

Alex Rinehart

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources 63rd Annual Water Conference 17-18 October 2018

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Future water supply governed by geology and past water management.

This talk shows three examples of groundwater management impacted by both regulation and climate change.

• Southern High Plains
• Albuquerque Basin
• Pecos Valley Artesian District

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

USGS/OSE Groundwater Level Measurements in NM

Coverage of water level measurement has gotten smaller Fewer measurements have been collected in recent decades

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

USGS/OSE Groundwater Level Measurements in NM

Coverage of water level measurement has gotten smaller Fewer measurements have been collected in recent decades

Consistent data is required.

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Southern High Plains

NMBGMR Open-file Report 591 Rawling and Rinehart

 High yield aquifer—Ogallala

Formation.

 Effectively no natural recharge, no

perennial streams.

Geology

 High volume agricultural pumping

(95% or more of water use).

 High percentage of land is arable.  Primary economy is agriculture,

both dairies and crops.

Previous water management

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

The Result

 Conserve now.  Get new wells in paleochannels.  Lobby for $500 million diversion

from Ute Reservoir on Canadian River.

 Agriculture?

At current decline rates, region has less than 5

• years. Paleochannels have

less than 25 years. The Plan for the Cities

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

The Result

At current decline rates, region has less than 5

• years. Paleochannels have

less than 25 years. The Plan for the Cities

This analysis relied on historical data. Future planning relies on it, too.

 Conserve now.  Get new wells in paleochannels.  Lobby for $500 million diversion

from Ute Reservoir on Canadian River.

 Agriculture?

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Albuquerque Basin

NMWRRI Completion Report, part of Statewide Water Assessment. Rinehart and Mamer.

 Until mid-2000s, drinking water largely

came from groundwater for NM’s largest city.

 Before mid-1990s, though of “Lake

Michigan” volume of freshwater.

 Hawley and others corrected this in

mid-1990s—GOOD GEOLOGY

 Brought San Juan surface water rights

• nline, began active use and recharge

2008/2009.

Past water management

 Basin-fill aquifer, with wells

completed in ancestral Rio Grande deposits.

 Aquifer is connected to Rio

Grande in valley.

 Recharge from river, some

mountain block and focused recharge along flanks.

Geology

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

The Result

 Rio Grande and Colorado River

flows likely to become less consistent year-to-year, contentious.



Water Authority is looking forward 100 years.

 Resilient use needs groundwater

storage and recharge.

Large (>250 ft) declines through 2000s, followed by slight (~10%) rebound because of San Juan- Chama Diversion. The Future?

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

The Result

 Rio Grande and Colorado River

flows likely to become less consistent year-to-year, contentious.



Water Authority is looking forward 100 years.

 Resilient use needs groundwater

storage and recharge.

Large (>250 ft) declines through 2000s, followed by slight (~10%) rebound because of San Juan- Chama Diversion. The Future?

This effort relied on historical data and reliable geologic

• mapping. Future

planning relies on it, too.

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Pecos Slope and Pecos Valley Artesian District

NMWRRI Completion Report, part of Statewide Water Assessment. Mamer and Rinehart.

 Wells drilled in confined aquifer in early

1900s.

 Drainage issues, river drying led to

conjunctive use regulation in 1930s.

 High volumes of pumping from 1950s to

• 1960s. Local monitoring begins!

 River dried up. Basin adjudicated in

1960s to 1970s. Seals put in place in wells between alluvial and confined

• aquifer. Active PVACD management

begins.

Past water management

 Confined aquifer recharged in

Sacramento Mountains.

 Alluvial aquifer recharge by

Pecos River.

 Pecos River has compact on

it, snowmelt dominated flow.

Geology

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Pecos Slope and Pecos Valley Artesian District

 Active management included retiring water rights, negotiation with other

compact members. Water use is monitored and enforced with stiff penalties involving loss of future water access.

 Active monitoring of aquifer allows switching between confined and alluvial

aquifer to manage river flows, agricultural needs.

What happened? Water levels have stabilized while compact requirements have been met.

 Active management, local engagement and flexible hydrogeology allow

resilient management.

 Snow pack will dwindle—what will the effect be on mountain block

recharge? River flows will be less consistent.

The future?

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Pecos Slope and Pecos Valley Artesian District

 Active management included retiring water rights, negotiation with other

compact members. Water use is monitored and enforced with stiff penalties involving loss of future water access.

 Active monitoring of aquifer allows switching between confined and alluvial

aquifer to manage river flows, agricultural needs.

What happened? Water levels have stabilized while compact requirements have been met.

 Active management, local engagement and flexible hydrogeology allow

resilient management.

 Snow pack will dwindle—what will the effect be on mountain block

recharge? River flows will be less consistent.

The future?

Active management requires data. Analysis required data.

New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources

Take-Homes

Future water management resilience depends on local geology and past water management decisions.

• Management works, especially with groundwater recharge and

with legal and practical recognition of physical hydrology.

• Management needs data—and our statewide network needs to

be maintained and made more efficient.

• The ‘bank’ of groundwater can run dry with poor (or no)

management.

Funding from the state of New Mexico through a grant to the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute’s Statewide Water Assessment, and by the City of Clovis. Data from the USGS.