Dr. M. Karl Wood Director Water Resources Research Institute New Mexico State University Water Quality Research by New Mexico state university

Water Supply Quite visible Easy to measure Easy to say if too much or too little

Water Quality May not be visible Visibility may be deceiving Often difficult to measure Difficult to say if too much or too little

Water quality is often poorest when the runoff is lowest When runoff (supply) is low, then quality is of lesser concern

Present Research Programs Water Supply Water Quality ManyFewer Growing population Mined groundwater Exhausted surface storage Drought suppressing surface and groundwater recharge Clean Water Act Health Concerns Arsenic Standards Perchlorate, MTBE, & sulfate levels

Water Supplies contain: Natural elements or compounds such as: 1.Salts 2.Pathogens 3.Organic matter 4.Arsenic 5.Fluoride 6.Boron 7.Uranium Human introduced elements or compounds such as: 1.Salts 2.Pathogens 3.Organic matter 4.Perchlorate 5.Uranium 6.Lead 7.Pharmaceuticals 8.Nitrates

Sampling of Past Research Programs Ag Chemicals In Shallow Groundwater Sewage Sludge Applications Wells Near Surface Water Bodies Water Quality And Rhizobia Coal Burning And Water Quality Recreation Impacts Irrigation Return Flows Bioassays Of Quality Trace Metals

Specific Areas Critical to the Regions Water Quality Potable water Wastewater disposal Wastewater reuse Irrigated agriculture Dairy operations Extractive industries

Research Existing Research Programs Alternative adsorbents for treatment of drinking water On-site wastewater treatment Nutrient management in water Groundwater and surface water quality and quantity monitoring Dairy waste management Agricultural drainage management Effects of natural evaporative processes on water quality The nature and occurrence of brackish waters in southern New Mexico and west Texas

Research New Focus Programs Colonia water issues such as health problems, development needs, and wastewater treatment Mutual Domestic Water Users Associations treatment systems Agricultural Community mitigating agriculture impacts Development of Desalination Technology Beneficial use of marginal quality water such as graywater, domestic and industrial wastewater, agricultural drainage, desalination reject water, and naturally brackish groundwater Extractive Industry water quality issues

Research New Focus Programs A Rio Grande Basin Salinity Control Program Possibly four segment areas 1. Southern Colorado to Elephant Butte Reservoir 2. Elephant Butte Reservoir to Ft. Quitman 3. Ft. Quitman to the Gulf of Mexico 4. Pecos River

Research New Focus Programs A Rio Grande Basin Salinity Control Program Probable Participants for the Elephant Butte to Ft. Quitman reach? Paso del Norte Water Task Force Collaborators

Who is in the Paso del Norte Water Task Force Associate Members and Potential Collaborators Texas A&M University Fort Bliss Houston Advanced Research Center Dona Ana County El Paso County U.S. Geological Survey Bureau of Reclamation Bureau of Land Management Natural Resources Conservation Service Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Protection Agency Soil and Water Conservation Districts Texas Water Development Board New Mexico Office of the State Engineer New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission New Mexico Environment Department Rio Grande Compact Commission Comision Nacional del Agua Congressional Staffs El Colegio de Frontera Norte Technológico de Monterrey New Mexico-Texas Water Commission Lower Rio Grande Water Users Organization Paso del Norte Watershed Council Sandia National Laborator Regular Members International Boundary and Water Commission (U.S. and Mexico Sections ex officio) Municipalities El Paso Cd. Juarez Las Cruces Non-Government Organizations Jaime Burmudez Charlie Crowder Elaine Barron Irrigation Districts Elephant Butte El Paso #1 Juarez #009 Universities University of Texas at El Paso New Mexico State University Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez

What can the Paso del Norte Water Task Force Do? B. Coordinate water quality research across universities and within the region D. Disseminate technologies to the regions water providers and users C. Provide education programs to all socio-economic groups A. Coordinate formulation of a Salinity Control Team

Solutions to Water Quality Problems? Meaningful Water Quality Standards verified by research Fast and affordable detection verified by research Outreach and Education supported by research Government support where needed with monitoring and verification

“Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors” African proverb

This is a sunrise, not a sunset! A new day!