balancing agricultural use of surface and groundwater ... · •meet irrigation demands while...

Balancing Agricultural Use of Surface and

Groundwater Along the Rio Grande

David Gensler

Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District

October 08, 2015

The “Middle Rio Grande” can be defined as a

geographic area, and as a hydrologic unit with

inflow, outflow, and uses.

The Rio Grande Compact defines the MRG legally, and lays out the rules for water depletions in the

basin.

Rio Grande Compact Allocation Chart

MRG water consumption is effectively capped. If one use requires more water, it must come through reduction in some other use. The MRG has to live within its means,

and doing so means doing more with less.

Chart1

00

100100

200200

300300

400400

500500

600600

700700

800800

900900

10001000

11001100

12001200

13001300

14001400

15001500

16001600

17001700

18001800

19001900

20002000

21002100

22002200

23002300

24002400

25002500

26002600

27002700

28002800

29002900

30003000

New Mexico Delivery Obligation to below Elephant Butte Dam

Available for Depletion above Elephant Butte Dam in New Mexico

In above average year flow in excess of 405,000 acre-feet must be passed below Elephant Butte Reservoir

ANNUAL INFLOW AT OTOWI (Otowi Index Supply, 1000 acre-feet)

ANNUAL COMPACT ALLOCATION (1000 acre-feet)

ANNUAL COMPACT ALLOCATION CHART

0

0

43

57

86

114

129

171

172

228

214

286

255

345

294

406

329

471

358

542

379

621

393

707

400

800

403

897

404

996

405

1095

405

1195

405

1295

405

1395

405

1495

405

1595

405

1695

405

1795

405

1895

405

1995

405

2095

405

2195

405

2295

405

2395

405

2495

405

2595

Sheet1

Otowi Index Supply

Index SupplyElephant Butte Effective IndexNew Mexico Depletion

000

1005743

20011486

300171129

400228172

500286214

600345255

700406294

800471329

900542358

1000621379

1100707393

1200800400

1300897403

1400996404

15001095405

16001195405

17001295405

18001395405

19001495405

20001595405

21001695405

22001795405

23001895405

24001995405

25002095405

26002195405

27002295405

28002395405

29002495405

30002595405

Sheet2

Sheet3

Estimated Middle Rio Grande Water Depletion (Cochiti to EB Reservoir)

Crop28%

Riparian26%River Evap

6%

Urban20%

Reservoir Evap20%

Total Estimated depletion 500,000 Acre-Feet(Source: URGWOM, Nabil Shafike)

Estimated Middle Rio Grande Water Depletion (Cochiti to EB Reservoir)

Total Estimated depletion 400,000 Acre-Feet

Natural40%

Urban25% Crop

35%

With only a few exceptions, the

MRGCD encompasses most agricultural users

in the MRG basin.

Balancing uses must consider basic nature of the system:Run-of-the River + Supplemental Storage

So, responding to change requires a different approach than areas supplied directly from reservoirs, precisely regulated, from which annual allocations are made. MRGCD must balance our uses with others.

New challenges (last 2 decades)

• Drought- Beginning in 1996, after decades of relative plenty

• And increased competition from urban users – new Albuquerque/Santa Fe surface water diversions, increased municipal groundwater pumping in suburbs

• And……...who knows how many private wells, every one of which takes a tiny cut from the agricultural water supply

• And………………..the ICING ON THE CAKE

MRGCD currently a partner in an ongoing ESA consultation with USFWS. This started back in 1996, originally only with the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow

But now we also have to consider these:

The MRGCD Response? Modernization!

Nice new MRGCD Check structure at Algodones

Daily Water operations/Management/Coordination

Chart1

Sheet1

Historic MRGCD Diversions

YearTotal Div. (AF)irr. Acre

195628000060000

195745500060000

195857000

195937000057000

196037500056000

196142000055000

196241000052000

1963305000

1964360000

1965500000

1966395000

1967407000

1968407000

1969465000

1970428000

1971352000

1972335000

1973505000

1974455000

1975510000

1976550,000

1977475000

1978480000

1979548,000

1980513,000

1981476,000

1982435,000

1983465,000

1984526,000

1985477,0005215.60.355

1986631,0005219.65219.25

1987644,000

1988615,000

1989593,000

1990563,000

1991554,000

1992600,000

1993609,000

1994606,000

1995618,000

1996618,000

1997654,000

1998679,000

1999612,000

2000600,000

2001479,000

2002369,000

2003322,000

2004319,000

2005366,00061874

2006308,000

2007366,00060165

2008364,000

2009365,000

2010368,000

2011360000

2012338000

2013263000

Sheet1

Total MRGCD Diversions AF per year

MRGCD Historic Annual Diversions

Sheet2


MRGCD Recent Annual Diversions

Sheet3

2013 Depletions from ETT

ag et222000

CIR165000Agriculture 39%222000

RipET160000Bosque (28%)160000

OW Evap65000Evaporation (11%)65000

Ag evap12000M&I+Domestic (21%)120000

Total567000

Sheet3

Measurement

Measuring flume constructed at Santa Ana Pueblo to confirm delivery of water (“tail-ender

problem”)

Water measurement is often considered a threat by

traditional water users, but it is a critical part of efficient

management and coping with reduced supply.

Measuring can be done in creative ways, solving other water delivery problems. This structure built at Santo Domingo controls the water level for the intake to a pipe delivery system, while also

providing measurement of the supply being delivered to a downstream user.

Chart1

Sheet1



195628000060000

195745500060000

195857000

195937000057000

196037500056000

196142000055000

196241000052000

1963305000

1964360000

1965500000

1966395000

1967407000

1968407000

1969465000

1970428000

1971352000

1972335000

1973505000

1974455000

1975510000

1976550,000

1977475000

1978480000

1979548,000

1980513,000

1981476,000

1982435,000

1983465,000

1984526,000

1985477,0005215.60.355

1986631,0005219.65219.25

1987644,000

1988615,000

1989593,000

1990563,000

1991554,000

1992600,000

1993609,000

1994606,000

1995618,000

1996618,000

1997654,000

1998679,000

1999612,000

2000600,000

2001479,000

2002369,000

2003322,000

2004319,000

2005366,00061874

2006308,000

2007366,00060165

2008364,000

2009365,000

2010368,000

2011360000

2012338000

2013263000

Sheet1



Sheet2



Sheet3


ag et222000


RipET160000Bosque (28%)160000



Total567000

Sheet3

Automation

Punch in how much water you need. But, unfortunately, these devices are costly.

Automatic “Langemann” gate on Cochiti Main

Canal, one of several in the area that control flow and water level for Cochiti

Pueblo farmers.

Automation and Measurement

The sky is the limit. Measure. Know how much water we are moving. Control. Know precisely where it is going.

And, there are lower-cost alternatives to expensive electronic and mechanical automation. The long-crested weir can hold upstream water levels very stable, allowing for dependable, predictable, and

efficient deliveries to irrigators. This one was recently constructed at Santa Ana Pueblo

Chart1

Sheet1



195628000060000

195745500060000

195857000

195937000057000

196037500056000

196142000055000

196241000052000

1963305000

1964360000

1965500000

1966395000

1967407000

1968407000

1969465000

1970428000

1971352000

1972335000

1973505000

1974455000

1975510000

1976550,000

1977475000

1978480000

1979548,000

1980513,000

1981476,000

1982435,000

1983465,000

1984526,000

1985477,0005215.60.355

1986631,0005219.65219.25

1987644,000

1988615,000

1989593,000

1990563,000

1991554,000

1992600,000

1993609,000

1994606,000

1995618,000

1996618,000

1997654,000

1998679,000

1999612,000

2000600,000

2001479,000

2002369,000

2003322,000

2004319,000

2005366,00061874

2006308,000

2007366,00060165

2008364,000

2009365,000

2010368,000

2011360000

2012338000

2013263000

Sheet1



Sheet2



Sheet3


ag et222000


RipET160000Bosque (28%)160000



Total567000

Sheet3

The results: Efficiency improvements have given us the capability to do more with less. But there are limits.

Chart1

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013



631000

644000

615000

593000

563000

554000

600000

609000

606000

618000

618000

654000

679000

612000

600000

479000

369000

322000

319000

366000

308000

366000

364000

365000

368000

360000

338000

263000

Sheet1



195628000060000

195745500060000

195857000

195937000057000

196037500056000

196142000055000

196241000052000

1963305000

1964360000

1965500000

1966395000

1967407000

1968407000

1969465000

1970428000

1971352000

1972335000

1973505000

1974455000

1975510000

1976550,000

1977475000

1978480000

1979548,000

1980513,000

1981476,000

1982435,000

1983465,000

1984526,000

1985477,0005215.60.355

1986631,0005219.65219.25

1987644,000

1988615,000

1989593,000

1990563,000

1991554,000

1992600,000

1993609,000

1994606,000

1995618,000

1996618,000

1997654,000

1998679,000

1999612,000

2000600,000

2001479,000

2002369,000

2003322,000

2004319,000

2005366,00061874

2006308,000

2007366,00060165

2008364,000

2009365,000

2010368,000

2011360000

2012338000

2013263000

Sheet1



Sheet2



Sheet3


ag et222000


RipET160000Bosque (28%)160000



Total567000

Sheet3

MRGCD Priorities• Meet irrigation demands while improving service and increasing system

efficiencies

• Develop five to ten-year capital improvement plan, review and update policies and procedures, ongoing modernization

• Support and encourage on-farm agricultural efficiency, along with expanded agricultural production, profitability, regional food security.

• Active coordination of water operations with NMOSE/ISC to maintain positive Rio Grande Compact delivery status.

• ESA compliance through BO (2016), commitments of offsetting and conservation measures, cooperation with other Fed/Non-Fed efforts to move toward species recovery through adaptive management processes.

• MRGCD commitments include river flow management to assist with spawn and recruitment flows while minimizing river drying later in irrigation season.

• Improved intergovernmental relationships (Fed/NonFed/Tribal)

As you can see, there is a lot to balance!

Thank You

Questions?

�Balancing Agricultural Use of Surface and Groundwater Along the Rio Grande�Slide Number 2Rio Grande Compact Allocation ChartEstimated Middle Rio Grande Water Depletion (Cochiti to EB Reservoir)Estimated Middle Rio Grande Water Depletion (Cochiti to EB Reservoir)Slide Number 6Balancing uses must consider basic nature of the system:�Run-of-the River + Supplemental StorageSlide Number 8Slide Number 9�Nice new MRGCD Check structure at AlgodonesDaily Water operations/Management/CoordinationMeasurementSlide Number 13AutomationAutomation and MeasurementSlide Number 16The results: Efficiency improvements have given us the capability to do more with less. But there are limits.MRGCD PrioritiesAs you can see, there is a lot to balance!��Thank You��Questions?

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