Water Resources Field Methods Reports
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Case Studies of Sustainable Water Resources Development, Rio Grande Basin, New Mexico
O.Paul Matthews, Michael Campana, Doris J. DeSimone, Richard M. DeSimone, and Nancy Gillard
The complexity of sustainable development and the complexities within New Mexico make it impossible to examine all aspects of the issue within this collection of student papers. The six case studies that follow do show the complexity of the issues. Two papers deal with the urban water supplies for Los Alamos (Chapter 1) and Santa Fe (Chapter 5). For the immediate future both cities can supply their needs but both will have to seek new sources in the long term. The surrounding traditional communities may chose to sell their water rights in order to satisfy this demand. Two papers are about watershed management. The Spring Creek watershed (Chapter 3) will be logged, and the impacts of the logging are examined. Because locals will do the logging, the economic benefits will go to a traditional community. In La Cañada watershed (Chapter 4) overgrazing has caused significant erosion and recommendations are made on how to correct this problem. The Cochiti Dam paper (Chapter 2) deals directly with the equities involved in constructing dams and the impacts they have on traditional communities. The paper on wastewater treatment in Albuquerque's North Valley (chapter 6) examines alternatives to traditional treatment methods.
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Sustainable Water Development for the Village of Miramar, Honduras
Michael Campana and Michele Minnis
The UNM Water Resources Program (WRP) offers the Master of Water Resources (MWR) degree, an interdisciplinary professional degree designed to prepare students for careers in water resources. The program seeks to expand and deepen students knowledge of their primary disciplines and, at the same time, improve their capacity to think carefully and comprehensively, and develop their technical and communication skills. In order to help achieve this goal, the WRP has developed three interdisciplinary (core) courses, the last of these courses (WR 573) being designed as a capstone, representing a culmination of the student's experience in the program. This final class is an intensive field-based course in which the students work together using their previous coursework and acquired skills. A specific field project is undertaken, and students work through problem identification and definition, collect/analyze data, propose solutions, and present conclusions and recommendations in an appropriate forum. This year, the WR 573 class spent 12 days in Honduras examining rural water issues and assisting in the construction of a gravity-flow system to provide potable water to a local village (Miramar). Our involvement was to aid in the physical construction of the system, as well as examine and critique the construct of the system itself. This paper represents a summary of our experience in Honduras, our examination and assessment of the water problems in Miramar, including both a watershed sustainability assessment and an assessment of their proposed water delivery system.
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Water Resources Assessment of the Rito Peñas Negras
Bruce Thomson and Abdul-Mehdi Ali
During the summer of 2011 students and faculty from the UNM Water Resources Program conducted an investigation of the Rito Peñas Negras in the Cuba District of the Santa Fe National Forest. The objective was to conduct an assessment of the stream and determine its characteristics, quality, and ability to meet its designated use of supporting high quality coldwater aquatic life. The Rito Peñas Negras is a small first order stream with a total length of 7.9 miles. It has one tributary, the Rito Café, which adds another 4 miles to its length. The watershed consists of 10,850 acres and ranges in elevation from approximately 8,500 ft to 9,000 ft. The lower reaches of the stream are the subject of a watershed restoration project by the WildEarth Guardians that consists of constructing animal exclosures and re-establishing riparian vegetation. The results of this study may serve as a baseline for future evaluation of the success of this restoration effort. This project included a formal assessment of the stream at five locations along its length. These assessments included measurement of flow, water quality, stream geomorphology, and field identification of benthic macroinvertebrates. Additional measurements of flow and/or water quality were done at three other sites in watershed and three sites along the Rio de las Vacas. An intensive investigation of the stream was conducted during the second week of June, while a follow up study on August 15, 2011 was limited to flow measurements and collection of water quality samples at three locations. Flow in the Rito Peñas Negras in June ranged from about 0.25 cfs in the upper reaches to 0.16 cfs in the lower reaches. Streamflow in August ranged from .52 to 1.04 cfs which was due to summer rains. Measurements of electrical conductivity and the stable isotopes deuterium and oxygen-18 suggest that the decrease in flow is the result of both evaporation and infiltration. During both sampling trips the stream was flowing well below bankfull conditions which was attributed to a dry winter, however, the lower reach showed evidence of a recent very high flow event due to a summer thunderstorm in August. The water quality of the stream was found to be very high during the June study. Nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorous) were low and no measurable chlorophyll a was detected in the water, though small attached algal growth was noted on bottom sediments. Thermograph measurements over the preceding month exhibited a strong diurnal fluctuation superimposed on an increasing trend associated with on-set of summer. Field characterization of benthic macroinvertebrate populations also supported the conclusion of high quality water in the stream. Stream samples collected in August found moderate concentrations of nitrate which was attributed to cattle grazing that began about June 1. The upper reaches of the watershed is steeper hence the stream was dominated by riffles and glide areas. The stream bed consisted mostly of sands and gravels and there was good canopy of riparian vegetation. Lower reaches were flatter and flow was primarily a mix of shallow pools and glide areas. Stream banks were generally stable with extensive undercut areas for fish refuge, however, there was virtually no woody riparian vegetation below FR 527. There was no sign of current beaver activity anywhere in the watershed.
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Policy conflicts and sustainable water resources development in New Mexico's Rio Grande Basin
Michael Campana, Linda I. Gordan, Chris T. McLean, Richard M. Desimone, Kelly A. Bitner, Sarita Nair, Claire Kerven, Lynne Marie Paretchan, Kathy A. Smith, and Robin L. Just
This course is the required capstone seminar for Master of Water Resources (MWR) graduate students in the Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico. Drs. Michael E. Campana (hydrology), Paul Matthews (water law and policy), and David Brookshire (environmental economics) were the instructors. The class focused on three contemporary issues within the Rio Grande basin: 1) arsenic in the waters of the basin, including both the conflict between the City of Albuquerque and Isleta Pueblo over arsenic in the Rio Grande and the impending change in drinking water standards for arsenic; 2) the hydrologic impacts and fire management aspects of the restoration of the ponderosa pine forest in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains; and 3) the economic and environmental impacts of preserving the silvery minnow, an endangered species living in the Rio Grande.
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The East Mountain Area septic system user's guide to the Bernalillo County Wastewater Ordinance : ensuring groundwater sustainability
Michael E. Campana and Michele Minnis
On June 29, 2000, Bernalillo County released a draft wastewater ordinance, Bernalillo County Wastewater Ordinance, for public comment; in the fall of 2000, this ordinance was adopted. The ordinance is intended to protect public health and safety by establishing minimum criteria for the design, installation, inspection, treatment, and management of commercial and domestic wastewater systems. The ordinance is detailed and perhaps difficult to understand for the average homeowner in the East Mountain Area (EMA). It encompasses engineering, permitting, and maintenance requirements for new or modified septic systems in place after the effective date of this ordinance. Without thorough review and understanding of the ordinance, the homeowner could easily jeopardize his/her ability to operate their individual septic systems and/or face serious monetary consequences if their septic systems are not in compliance with the ordinance. The WR 573 summer 2000 class has prepared a simple, straightforward guidebook for EMA residents of Bernalillo County to use as a tool for understanding and complying with the new ordinance. Topics were researched and discussed within the context of the guidebook to help EMA homeowners fulfill their responsibilities under the ordinance, including inspection, compliance, permitting, and maintenance requirements of their individual septic tank systems. The guidebook is written in question-and-answer format, and each answer builds upon information provided within the guidebook. The guidebook was written for the average homeowner and is presented in non-technical language. We assumed that most homeowners would be neither qualified for nor desirous of doing most of the work required to bring their systems into compliance and would therefore hire a contractor. The guidebook was written to help the homeowner understand the process; most of the details are left to the contractor. Most of our information was drawn from the ordinance, studies of the East Mountain Area hydrologic system, or discussions with knowledgeable people. As a public-oriented user guide, specific references to documents were eliminated from the body of text. References are included at the end of the guidebook. The summer 2000 Water Resources 573 class, under the guidance of instructors Dr. Michael Campana and Dr. Michele Minnis, has synthesized our combined research into this guidebook entitled, East Mountain Area Septic System User's Guide to the 2000 Bernalillo County Wastewater Ordinance. The guidebook will be edited and published as a Water Resources Program publication and copies provided to NOAA and Bernalillo County.
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Water resources assessment of the Cimarron River and evaluation of water quality characteristics at the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge
Bruce M. Thomson and Abdul-Mehdi Ali
During the second week of June 2010, the UNM Masters of Water Resources students, staff, and collaborators studied the Cimarron River watershed from its head waters above Eagle Nest Lake to its confluence with the Canadian River near Taylor Springs, NM, and the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge(NWR)near Maxwell, NM. The investigation included measuring flows and water quality characteristics at 34 surface water sites in the two study areas. The main objectives of the study were to conduct a river assessment of the Cimarron River and evaluate water quality characteristics and playa lake sediment chemistry at the Maxwell NWR. It is expected that this report will serve as a basis for future research on the hydrology, water quality, and to a lesser extent, the socioeconomic characteristics of the river and its watershed and the Maxwell NWR. The report is divided into two sections, the first section describes the work done on the Cimarron River watershed and the second section describes work done at the Maxwell NWR. The Cimarron River watershed drains 1,032 square miles and is located on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northeastern New Mexico, originating in mountains with elevations over 12,000 feet above sea level. The Cimarron River then flows eastward onto the eastern plains of New Mexico, draining into the successively larger Canadian and Arkansas Rivers, which ultimately flow into the Mississippi River. The principal source of water supply in the watershed is surface water, and most is used for agricultural activities consisting of irrigation and livestock watering. Drinking water is supplied almost entirely by ground water except for the communities of Cimarron, Miami and Springer. Raton, located outside of the watershed, also supplements its drinking water supply with surface water from the Cimarron watershed. Six reaches of the Cimarron River and one reach of Rayado Creek were subjected to intensive evaluation using EPAs Environmental Monitoring Assessment Program (EMAP) protocol. Data was collected and analyzed concerning the hydrology, geomorphology, riparian vegetation, human impacts, benthic macroinvertebrates, and water quality. In addition, flow measurements and water quality samples were taken at 24 other locations within the basin. This assessment found generally high quality conditions of the river and riparian environment throughout the Cimarron River. This conclusion was supported by the type and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates, by channel geomorphic criteria, and by water quality measurements. Electrical conductivity, an indirect measure of salinity, was found to increase as the river flows onto the eastern plains; the source was not identified. The water in the river is hard and is dominated by calcium, magnesium and sulfate ions. It is recognized that this assessment was done near the peak of spring runoff; it is likely that low flow conditions later in the summer will present environmental stresses to the system. Low but measurable concentrations of nitrates were found throughout the watershed with the highest concentrations occurring in samples collected near a residential area and golf course in Cieneguilla Creek near the town of Angel Fire. Recommendations are included for further studies to quantify stream flows and diversions in the watershed to gain a better understanding of water use. Information is also needed on the 7 seasonal concentrations of chemical constituents in the river and its tributaries to understand the impact of development, especially that associated with non-residential vacation homes and potential development of coal bed methane. The water quality in lakes and irrigation ditches at the Maxwell NWR was of generally high quality and dominated by calcium, magnesium and sulfate salts. Salt crust collected on the surface of a dry playa lake contained high concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, and sulfate ions. Slightly elevated selenium concentrations were detected in sediment samples collected from a playa lake at the refuge. However, selenium concentrations in lake water and irrigation ditch samples were less than 1 μg/L.
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Water resources assessment of the Mora River
Bruce M. Thomson and Abdul-Mehdi Ali
During the second week of June 2009, the UNM Masters of Water Resources students, staff, and collaborators studied the Mora River watershed by measuring flows and water quality characteristics at over 20 surface water sites in the watershed. The main objective of the study was to conduct a river assessment of the Mora River and its corresponding acequia systems. It is expected that this report will serve as a baseline for future research on the hydrology, water quality, and to a lesser extent, the socioeconomic characteristics of the river and its watershed. The Mora River watershed drains 1,476 square miles and is located on the eastern slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northeastern New Mexico, originating in mountains with elevations over 12,000 feet above sea level. The Mora River then flows eastward onto the eastern plains of New Mexico, draining into the successively larger Canadian and Arkansas Rivers, which ultimately make confluence with the Mississippi. Approximately 47 acequias, or irrigation ditches, intersect the Mora River and its tributaries throughout the watershed. The principal source of water supply in the watershed is surface water, and most is used for agricultural activities consisting of irrigation and livestock watering. Drinking water is supplied almost entirely by ground water although there are reports of a few homesteads that use water from acequias or adjacent streams for domestic use. Measurements and site descriptions were recorded either on New Mexico Environment Department Surface Water Quality Bureau data sheets or in notebooks, following the EPAs Environmental Monitoring Assessment Program (EMAP) protocol. Data was collected and analyzed concerning the hydrology, geomorphology, riparian vegetation, human impacts, benthic macroinvertebrates, and water quality at five segments of the Mora River, and 19 tributaries and acequias. This assessment found that generally high quality conditions of the river and riparian environment. This conclusion was supported by the type and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates, by channel geomorphic criteria, and by water quality measurements. However, it is recognized that this assessment was done near the peak of spring runoff; it is likely that low flow conditions later in the summer will present environmental stresses to the system. In this regard, the nearly complete diversion of the Mora River for agricultural use as it passes through the Mora Valley was noted. Much of this water is returned to the river at the eastern end of the valley and has measurably increased concentrations of plant nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorous species that may result in eutrophic impacts. Recommendations are included for further studies to quantify stream flows and diversions in the watershed to gain a better understanding of water use. Information is also needed on the seasonal concentrations of chemical constituents in the river and its tributaries to understand the impact of development, especially that associated with non-residential vacation homes and potential development of coal bed methane.
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Water resources assessment of the Sapello River
Bruce Thomson and Abdul-Mehdi Ali
The Sapello River originates in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in San Miguel County of northern New Mexico and flows east for 27.3 miles to Watrous, NM where it joins the Mora river. The Mora River is a tributary to the Canadian River. The Sapello River was the subject of an intensive three week study by the Water Resources 573, Field Methods class from the University of New Mexico in May and June, 2008. The main objective of the study was to conduct a stream assessment of the Sapello River that will serve as a baseline for future work.
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Water resources assessment in the greater Rio Casas Grandes Watershed
Bruce Thomson and Abdul-Mehdi Ali
The Rio Casas Grandes watershed is located in northern Chihuahua, Mexico, on the eastern flank of the Sierra Madres. Like all arid desert regions, this watershed faces problems related to a lack of fresh water. Increasing populations, agriculture, and industry create a challenge to water managers and users in the watershed. Water shortages from drought combined with increased use have caused decreases in water tables as well as increases in the number of fallow fields in the lower reaches of the watershed. Poor land management practices combined with water shortages have the potential to threaten the livelihood of communities within this watershed. Students in the University of New Mexico's (UNM) Water Resources Program (WRP) field course studied the greater Rio Casas Grandes watershed with a focus on the Rio Piedras Verdes sub-watershed. This course was designed for students to apply their knowledge and understanding of water resource issues to the water issues in the greater Rio Casas Grandes watershed. Due to the lack of quantitative data in the area, various types of quantitative field methods were performed to create a baseline of riparian health, water quality, and hydrology data. Interviews were conducted with professionals, academics, and farmers to provide first hand perspectives of the history, land use, and resource management within the Rio Casas Grandes watershed. The primary objectives for this course were to identify the water resource challenges in the Rio Casas Grandes watershed through both quantitative and qualitative assessments. Historical water use patterns, political, and cultural constraints were identified, along with the quantitative information needed to improve water management. Water quality of the region was assessed and water management practices of the Rio Casas Grandes watershed were compared with those of New Mexico.
