PDNWC Coordinated Database Project Briefing of Congressional Staff NM Water Resources Research Institute, 4 August 2004 El Paso Water Utilities, 10 September 2004 NM-TX Water Commission MAC Meeting EPWU, 19 August 2004

Agenda for briefing u Introduction to the Project Ø Project background Ø Justification of project activities Ø Partners in collaboration u Project objectives and activities u Demonstration of ArcIMS Website u Discussion of future funding possibilities

Background of Database Project u Long term interest among regional stakeholders in access to water resource data Ø Role of the New Mexico-Texas Water Commission Ø Role of the Paso del Norte Watershed Council u Phase I activities funded by the El Paso Water Utilities Ø Development of initial testbed project Ø Development of current project team u Current work ongoing in Phase II

New Mexico-Texas Water Commission u Developed out of long term Texas/New Mexico water conflict u Parties in Commission are regional water resource agencies (EBID, NMSU/WRRI, CLC, DAC, EPCWID #1, UTEP, TAMU/TAES, EPWU) u New Mexico Texas Water Commission was tool for regional water planning  EP/LC Regional Sustainable Water Project u Environmental concerns of project drove establishment of the Paso del Norte Watershed Council

Paso del Norte Watershed Council u PdNWC Mission - As an advisory body to the New Mexico-Texas Water Commission, Ø the Council investigates, develops, and recommends options for watershed planning and management Ø exploring how water-related resources can best be balanced Ø to benefit the Rio Grande ecosystem and the interests of all watershed stakeholders.

u City of El Paso u El Paso Water Utilities u El Paso League of Women Voters u Environmental Defense u El Instituto Municipal de Investigación y Planeación (IMIP) u El Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP) u International Boundary & Water Commission (U. S. & Mexico) u New Mexico Department of Agriculture u New Mexico State University u New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute u Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin Coalition u Southwest Environmental Center u Texas A&M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center u Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center u La Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez u University of Texas at El Paso u U. S. Army - Fort Bliss Directorate of Environment u U. S. Bureau of Reclamation u U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service u World Wildlife Fund u Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Paso del Norte Watershed Council PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

Idea for Coordinated Database Project u Long term discussions within NM-TXWC and regional stakeholders on utility of a database u Idea initially advanced by Conrad Keyes as a contract to El Paso Water Utilities and NM-TXWC u PDNWC formally proposed this concept to the El Paso Water Utilities (EPWU) in 2002 u EPWU funded Phase I, which developed project prototype completed in fall 2003

Objectives of PDNWC DB Project u Historically, large numbers of agencies collected wide range of water resource data u Access to data lacked much coordination u Goal of the PdNWC project is to provide coordinated access to wide range of data via web-based access and GIS interface Ø Project facilitates greater sharing of data among both providers and end users Ø Overall goal is to enhance water resource management via regional approach in the PdN region

Components of PDNWC Phase I project u Use of Internet Map Server front end and image map tiles provide spatial query (following graphic) Ø ArcIMS provides overall view of the study area Ø Pre-clipped tiles of larger map are served as image maps Ø Pop-up menus of available data are served off of image maps u Basic metadata (source, spatial extent, date, variables involved, format, and details on access) are served via web-interface and published in Final Project Report

Components of PDNWC project

Initial water resource datasets u Hewlett Binational Mapping data and other WRRI data provided map background. u Project staff in NM and Texas worked with their local data providers (EBID, EPCWID #1, EPWU, and CLC) to obtain data. u Conversion of historical data to digital format for automated retrieval and digital processing u Larger datasets already served on-line by other agencies are incorporated (USGS, USBR, and IBWC). u EPWU, UTEP, and UACJ data were identified for later inclusion into the project.

Benefits of Phase I Work u Developed cooperation across wide range of regional stakeholders u Identified stakeholder needs for coordinated access to water resource data u Demonstrated utility of the web-based interface and Internet Map Service u Established website for public access to data, available at u Developed specific recommendations of Phase II of the project

Ongoing enhancements u Enhance GIS user interface u Integrate data from new monitoring stations and equipment u Incorporate UACJ, UTEP, and EPWU data more fully into next phases of project u Develop improved data access and sharing capabilities u Develop partnerships for new data sources

Ideas for future work u Inclusion of new data sources into future project phases, Ø Groundwater source water protection data Ø Stormwater runoff and best management practice data, Ø Land use data for future land use modeling efforts u Link the EPWU Database Project to other regional water resource projects Ø USACE/URGWOM modeling activities Ø Lower Rio Grande Basin database and modeling efforts u Additional funding is needed to continue the development and maintenance of the water resource database

Overall project benefits u The Project is a tri-state, binational coordinated database compilation and sharing effort. u The Project supports a regional approach to water resource management in the Paso del Norte region. u The Project has brought a wide range of capable stakeholders and researchers into a cohesive and effective team.