Rio Grande Basin Water Balance Model Version 1.0
Versions
Version: 1.0
Source Code: Github Repository
Engine: 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. This model version is coded using Scilab 5 and integrated in SWIM though a Java middleware component.
Related Publications
Townsend, N. T.; and Gutzler, D. S., 2020
Adaptation of Climate Model Projections of Streamflow to Account for Upstream Anthropogenic Impairments.
JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association
https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.12851
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 | Full allocation of water to be released from Caballo for downstream water users as defined by the Rio Grande Project Operating Agreement 2008 | Acre-Feet |
| PanCo | Pan Evaporation Coefficient | Rio Grande project surface storage pan evaporation coefficient | N/A |
| EBMin | EB Minimum Storage | Elephant Butte reservoir minimum storage volume | Acre-Feet |
| EBMax | EB Maximum Storage | Elephant Butte Maximum storage volume | Acre-Feet |
| OPConst1 | Maximum Release Volume OP #1 | Maximum desired reservoir release volume | N/A |
| OPConst2 | Operating Agreement Coefficient #2 | Percent of San Marcial flow that will be released in low volume years when the maxium desired reservoir release volume is not possible | N/A |
| OPConst3 | Operating Agreement Coefficient #3 | Percent of previous year's reservoir volume to be released in low volume years when the maxium desired reservoir release volume is not possible | N/A |
| MAA_Recharge_Coeff_Art | MAA Recharge Coefficient | Return flow coefficient for surface water for agricultural use in Mesilla Alluvial aquifer | 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 | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| 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 | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| 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 | Fraction of underallocation of surface water replaced with groundwater for urban use from Hueco Bolson aquifer | percent |
| HB_Underalloc_Ag_Frac | HB Agricultural + Other Fraction of Underallocation | Fraction of underallocation of surface water replaced with groundwater overall from Hueco Bolson aquifer | percent |
| HB_SW_Irr_Baseline | HB Surface Irrigation Baseline | Baseline volume of water extracted from Hueco Bolson for surface irrigation | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| HB_RF_Coeff | HB RF Coefficient | Return flow coefficient for pumping for agricultural use in Hueco Bolson aquifer | N/A |
| HB_Net_Recharge | HB Net Recharge | Hueco Bolson aquifer natural water recharge | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| 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 | Acre-Feet |
| 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 | Regional volume of water drained into Caballo reservoir. Yearly averages from 2020 to 2070. | Acre-Feet |
| CaballoRelObs | Observed Caballo Reservoir Releases | Observed water releases from Caballo reservoir (1994-2013). | Acre-Feet |
| EB_Pan_in_obs | Observed Elephant Butte Pan Evaporation | Year average observed Pan Evaporation at Elephant Butte Reservoir between 1994 and 2013 | inches/yr |
| SanMarInObs | Observed Inflows at San Marcial Gauges | Observed upstream Water supply to Elephant Butte Reservoir through San Marcial Combined Gauges (1994-2013). | Acre-Feet |
| EB_PrecG_in_obs | Observed Precipitation at Elephant Butte | Yearly observed localized precipitation at Elephant Butte reservoir from 1994 to 2013. | inches/yr |
| StorageResObs | Observed Storage at Elephant Butte | Observed water volume at Elephant Butte reservoir (1994-2013). | Acre-Feet |
| Cab_WH_in_obs | Observed Watershed Input at Caballo | Observed Regional volume of water drained into Caballo reservoir. Yearly averages from 1994 to 2013. | Acre-Feet |
Output Variables
| Variable | Label | Description | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB_Storage | Elephant Butte Reservoir Storage | Projected volume of surface water stored in Elephant Butte reservoir by the end of each year | Acre-Feet |
| RG_SEvap | Rio Grande Project Storage Evaporation | Water loss due to evaporation from open water surface storage locations which includes Elephant Butte and Caballo reservoirs | Acre-Feet |
| Cab_Release | Caballo Reservoir Releases | Annual surface water volume released for regional consumption from Caballo Reservoir located upstream of the city of Las Cruces and the Elephant Butte irrigation district, release volumes are directed by the 2008 Rio Grande Project Operating Agreement | Acre-Feet |
| Full_Allocation_AF | Full Allocation | Full allocation from Caballo Reservor to downstream users according to the 2008 Rio Grande Project Operating Agreement | Acre-Feet |
| MAA_Cum_Loss | Mesilla Alluvial Total Cumulative Loss | Total consumptive water use from the Mesilla shallow depth aquifer from both urban and agricultural sectors | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| MAA_Ag | Mesilla Alluvial Cumulative loss from Agriculture | Annual consumptive use of water from the Mesilla shallow depth aquifer for agricultural use | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| MAA_Recharge | Mesilla Alluvial Cumulative Recharge | Annual water recharge to the Mesilla shallow depth aquifer | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| MIDA_Cum_Loss | Mesilla Intermediate Total Cumulative Loss | Annual consumptive use of water from the Mesilla intermediate and deep aquifer from both urban and agricultural sectors | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| MIDA_Urban | Mesilla Intermediate Cumulative Urban Loss | Annual consumptive use of water from the Mesilla intermediate and deep aquifer for urban use | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| MIDA_Ag | Mesilla Intermediate Cumulative Agricultural Loss | Annual consumptive use of water from the Mesilla intermediate and deep aquifer for agricultural use | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| MIDA_Recharge | Mesilla Intermediate Cumulative Recharge | Annual water recharge to the Mesilla intermediate and deep depth aquifer | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| HB_Cum_Loss | Hueco Bolson Total Cumulative Loss | Total consumptive water use from the Hueco Bolson aquifer from both urban and agricultural sectors | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| HB_Urban_Cum | Hueco Bolson Urban Cumulative Loss | Annual consumptive use of water from the Hueco Bolson aquifer for urban use | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| HB_Ag_Cum | Hueco Bolson Agricultural Cumulative Loss | Annual consumptive use of water from the Hueco Bolson aquifer for agricultural use | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
| HB_Recharge_Cum | Hueco Bolson Cumulative Recharge | Annual water recharge to the Hueco Bolson | Thousands of Acre-Feet |
Contacts
Alex Mayer
The University of Texas at El Paso
amayer2@utep.edu
Luis Garnica
The University of Texas at El Paso
lagarnicachavira@utep.edu
Sponsored by US Dept of Agriculture: 5 yr project 2015 - 2020