Rio Grande Basin Water Balance Model
Current Version: 2019/08/05 - Alpha Stage
Source Code: Not published
Modeling Software: Scilab 5.5.2
Introduction
The Water Balance Model is a simple mathemathical hydrologic accountability model for the Middle Rio Grande Basin from the San Marcial Gauges above Elephant Butte Reservoir to Fort Quitman. The model is currently under development with the use of Scilab as its base engine. A prototype webservice is currently online for testing purposes.
Model Composition
- 1 streamgauge inflow node San Marcial above Elephant Butte Reservoir
- 1 reservoir storage release node below Caballo Reservoir
- 3 groundwater nodes (Mesilla Alluvial, Mesilla Deep-Intermediate and Hueco Bolson)
- 2008 Operating Agreement release rules
- Urban and Agricultural comsumptive use nodes
- Static full allocation target per year
Input Parameters
| Parameter | Label | Description | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| StartYear | Starting Year | Starting year of simulation run | year |
| EndYear | Ending Year | Ending year of simulation run | year |
| EBInitStorage | Initial EB Storage Volume | Elephant Butte Storage on Starting Year | acre-feet |
| CaballoInitStorage | Initial Caballo Storage Volume | Caballo Reservoir Storage on Starting Year | acre-feet |
| Full_Allocation | Full Allocation | Total water demand on a given year on the Middle Rio Grande project basin | acre-feet |
| PanCo | Pan Evaporation Coefficient | Rio Grande project surface storage pan evaporation coefficient | acre-feet |
| EBMin | EB Minimum Storage | Elephant Butte reservoir minimum storage volume | acre-feet |
| EBMax | EB Maximum Storage | Elephant Butte Maximum storage volume | acre-feet |
| OPConst1 | Operating Agreement Coefficient #1 | OP coefficient minimum value | N/A |
| OPConst2 | Operating Agreement Coefficient #2 | Operating Agreement Coefficient | N/A |
| OPConst3 | Operating Agreement Coefficient #3 | Operating Agreement Coefficient | N/A |
| MAA_Recharge_Coeff_Art | MAA Recharge Coefficient | Mesilla Alluvial aquifer artificial recharge coefficient | N/A |
| MIDA_Fraction_Urban | Urban Fraction from MIDA | Mesilla Intermediate-Deep Aquifer proportion allocated for the urban sector | percent |
| MIDA_Fraction_Ag | Agricultural Fraction from MIDA | Mesilla Intermediate-Deep Aquifer proportion allocated for the agricultural sector | percent |
| HB_Urb_Baseline | Base Urban + Other Allocation from Hueco Bolson | Base Water allocation from Hueco Bolson to the urban sector | percent |
| HB_Ag_Baseline | Base Agriculture Allocation from Hueco Bolson | Base Water allocation from Hueco Bolson to the agricultural sector | percent |
| HB_Recharge_Baseline | Base Recharge for Hueco Bolson | Base volume of water recharge for Hueco Bolson aquifer | percent |
| HB_Underalloc_Fraction | HB Fraction of Underallocation | Proportion of underllocation at the Hueco Bolson | percent |
| HB_Underalloc_Urban_Frac | HB Urban + Other Fraction of Underallocation | Urban proportion of underallocation at Hueco Bolson | percent |
| HB_Underalloc_Ag_Frac | HB Agricultural + Other Fraction of Underallocation | Agricultural proportion of underallocation at Hueco Bolson | percent |
| HB_SW_Irr_Baseline | HB Surface Irrigation Baseline | Baseline volume of water extracted from Hueco Bolson for surface irrigation | KAF |
| HB_RF_Coeff | HB RF Coefficient | Hueco Bolson RF Coeficcient | N/A |
| HB_Net_Recharge | HB Net Recharge | Hueco Bolson net water recharge | KAF |
| Years | Years | List of timesteps in years | year |
| SanMarIn | Inflows at San Marcial Gauges | Upstream Water supply to Elephant Butter Reservoir through San Marcial Gauges | AF/yr |
| EB_PrecG_in | Precipitation at Elephant Butte | Yearly localized precipitation at Elephant Butte reservoir in inches | inches/yr |
| EB_Pan_in | Elephant Butte Pan Evaporation | Year average Pan Evaporation at Elephant Butte Reservoir | inches/yr |
| Cab_WH_in | Watershed Input at Caballo | Watershed Input at Caballo | acre-feet |
Output Variables
| Variable | Label | Description | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB_Storage | Elephant Butte Reservoir Storage | Elephant Butte reservoir storage volume at end of year | AF/yr |
| RG_SEvap | Rio Grande Project Storage Evaporation | Evaporation over project storage area at end of year | AF/yr |
| Cab_Release | Caballo Reservoir Releases | Annual water release volume from Caballo Reservoir | AF/yr |
| Full_Allocation_AF | Full Allocation | Water volume required to satisfy region demand | AF/yr |
| MAA_Cum_Loss | Mesilla Alluvial Total Cumulative Loss | Mesilla Alluvial Total Cumulative Loss | KAF/yr |
| MAA_Ag | Mesilla Alluvial Cumulative loss from Agriculture | Mesilla Alluvial cumulative water loss from agricultural use | KAF/yr |
| MAA_Recharge | Mesilla Alluvial Cumulative Recharge | Cumulative recharge to Mesilla Alluvial Aquifer | KAF/yr |
| MIDA_Cum_Loss | Mesilla Intermediate Total Cumulative Loss | Total cumulative water loss on Mesilla Intermediate Aquifer | KAF/yr |
| MIDA_Urban | Mesilla Intermediate Cumulative Urban Loss | Cumulative water loss at Mesilla Intermediate due to Urban use | KAF/yr |
| MIDA_Ag | Mesilla Intermediate Cumulative Agricultural Loss | Cumulative water loss from Mesilla Intermediate due to Agricultural use | KAF/yr |
| MIDA_Recharge | Mesilla Intermediate Cumulative Recharge | Cumulative recharge at Mesilla Intermediate aquifer | KAF/yr |
| HB_Cum_Loss | Hueco Bolson Total Cumulative Loss | Total cumulative water loss at the Hueco Bolson Aquifer | KAF/yr |
| HB_Urban_Cum | Hueco Bolson Urban Cumulative Loss | Cumulative loss of water at Hueco Bolson due to urban use | KAF/yr |
| HB_Ag_Cum | Hueco Bolson Agricultural Cumulative Loss | Cumulative loss of water from the Hueco Bolson due to agricultural use | KAF/yr |
| HB_Recharge_Cum | Hueco Bolson Cumulative Recharge | Cumulative wate recharge at Hueco Bolson Aquifer | KAF/yr |
Contacts
Alex Mayer
Michigan Technical University
asmayer@mtu.edu
Luis Garnica
The University of Texas at El Paso
lagarnicachavira@utep.edu
Sponsored by US Dept of Agriculture: 5 yr project 2015 - 2020