Integrated ground and surface water usage within an interstate river basin: drought in the upper Rio Grande

Abstract

Stream flows are often insufficient to support existing instream and offstream water uses in the Upper Rio Grande. Use of hydrologically connected groundwater supplements surface water, allowing greater use for irrigation and municipal use than would otherwise be typically possible. Under a prolonged severe drought, it is not clear how this reliance on groundwater might affect the availability of basin water. This research examines hydrologic and economic impacts of such an extreme event on water users in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, and on flows to support endangered species.  Policy and management alternatives designed to protect existing benefits and address instream needs are investigated in a basinwide context.