Monday, April 20, 2009: 1:50 p.m.
Turquoise III (Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort )
With the purpose of estimate the groundwater availability of Cuatrocienegas aquifer for new groundwater rights, the Mexican Institute of Water Technology performed for the Mexican National Water Commission a hydrogeological study during the year 2007. The study included a well survey, hydrometry and piezometry, sampling and chemical analysis and pumping tests. The identified inflows to the aquifer included the vertical recharge over the area (9.66 Mm3/year), lateral groundwater from mountain ranges (120.73 Mm3/year), irrigation return flows (5.70 Mm3/year) and infiltration from channels (16.51 Mm3/year) . On the other hand, the outflows are abstraction from wells (14.74 Mm3/year), natural flow through springs (110.03 Mm3/year) and evapotranspiration (30.04 Mm3/year). Thus, the aquifer shows a negative balance of – 2.2 Mm3/year. On the other hand, the actual groundwater rights reach 1.729 Mm3/year, and Cuatrocienegas aquifer has groundwater availability (10.8 Mm3/year) for the new permits, according to the Mexican water law. The difference between the groundwater balance and availability is due to an abstraction greater than the permitted.
See more of: Ground Water Sustainability: Definition, Implementation, and Validation II
See more of: Topical Sessions
See more of: Topical Sessions