On-Going Research to Estimate Groundwater Recharge in Agricultural - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

On-Going Research to Estimate Groundwater Recharge in Agricultural Areas of the Mesilla Valley Salim Bawazir1 and Alexander “Sam” Fernald2

Graduate Students: Kevin Boyko3 and Jusep Artola3 Project Collaborators: J. Phillip King1 , Zohrab Samani1, Juan Solis1+ Project Funded by the USGS-Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) through NM WRRI

1 Faculty, Civil Engineering Dept., NMSU; 1+ PhD candidate, Civil Engineering Dept., NMSU 2 Faculty Watershed Management and Director of NM Water Resources Research Institute 3 Water Science and Management Program, NMSU

Background

• Mesilla Valley Aquifer (Mesilla Bolson) is a trans-boundary aquifer shared between New

Mexico, Texas and Mexico

• Significant portion of the drinking water supply for the City of El Paso and Juarez
• Main source of drinking water for residents of Mesilla Valley
• Main source of irrigation water during dry years
• The aquifer is vital for the sustainability of the agricultural industry, economic

development and the quality of life in Southern New Mexico, El Paso, and Juarez

• The long-term management and sustainability of the Aquifer depend on understanding

the dynamic of the aquifer

Project Objectives:

• Measure Evapotranspiration (ET) of one of the major

crops (i.e. Alfalfa) in the Mesilla Valley

• Measure ET of fallow farm field
• ET of fallow ground has not been well quantified in

the hydrologic budget; Often considered “miniscule” and therefore considered “zero”

• Use Ground level ET measurements to verify remote

sensing ET Models [Mesilla Valley ET]

• Estimate groundwater recharge based on irrigation

practices

Upper (Top) Boundary Layer (i.e. ET) of Groundwater model has often been assumed

Measurement Locations

Salopek: 84 acres (34 ha) Willies: 87 acres (35.2 ha)

Leyendecker Climate Station (NMSU: Leyendecker Plant Science Station)

Willies Farm – Alfalfa (Eddy Covariance System and Climate Station)

Eddy Covariance System Climate Station Soil Moisture Profile Depth to Groundwater

Salopek Fallow Farmland – Alfalfa (Eddy Covariance System and Climate Station)

Preliminary Results:

Recharge to Groundwater: 1.0 - 1.5 ft ET of alfalfa = 4.6 ft (1403 mm) Precipitation = 11 in or 0.92 ft (277 mm) Irrigation Applied = 5.67 ft (1729 mm) N= 271 days of data collection

Willie’s Farm; Measured ET Values and Remote Sensing REEM ET Estimates 2/25/2017 Measured = 2.03 mm REEM Satellite Model = 2.00 mm (avg.) 3/13/2017 Measured = 4.9 mm REEM Satellite Model = 4.00 mm (avg.) Improving Remote Sensing ET Models (REEM and SSEBop) is in Progress for the Mesilla Valley 2/25/2017

Remote Sensing Model Estimates –Sample of REEM Estimates

Thank you