Binational reflections on pathways to groundwater security in the Mexico-United States borderlands

Shared groundwater resources between Mexico and the United States are facing unprecedented stressors. We reflect on how to improve water security for groundwater systems in the border region. Our reflection begins with the state of groundwater knowledge, and the challenges groundwater resources face from a physical, societal and institutional perspective. We conclude that the extent of ongoing cooperation frameworks, joint and remaining research efforts, from which alternative strategies can emerge, still need to be developed. The way forward offers a variety of cooperation models as the future offers rather complex, shared and multidisciplinary water challenges to the Mexico–US borderlands

Binational reflections on pathways to groundwater security in the Mexico–United States borderlands

Shared groundwater resources between Mexico and the United States are facing unprecedented stressors. We reflect on how to improve water security for groundwater systems in the border region. Our reflection begins with the state of groundwater knowledge, and the challenges groundwater resources face from a physical, societal and institutional perspective. We conclude that the extent of ongoing cooperation frameworks, joint and remaining research efforts, from which alternative strategies can emerge, still need to be developed. The way forward offers a variety of cooperation models as the future offers rather complex, shared and multidisciplinary water challenges to the Mexico–US borderlands

Invisible water: the importance of good groundwater governance and management

This paper summarizes the results of efforts to bring attention to the importance of understanding and improving groundwater governance and management. Discussion of survey work in the United States and global case studies highlights the importance of focusing attention on this invisible water resource before pollution or depletion of it causes severe economic, environmental, and social dislocations. Better governance and management of groundwater are required to move toward sustainable groundwater use.University of Arizona Technology and Initiative Fund; United States Geological Survey; Ground Water Research and Education FoundationOpen access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

On Regulation, Deregulation, and Economics

This article considers some key elements of the current debates on utility deregulation and industry restructuring. Its purpose is to bridge the gap between economic theory and actual regulatory policymaking. The author explains that the emphasis of regulatory debates has, in large part, shifted from rather routine cases to matters that fundamentally affect market structure. Jurisdictional issues, difficulties associated with determining how to relax regulation of an industry that still has monopoly elements, and problems with the process itself are addressed. The author concludes that important and necessary policy debates would benefit from more substantive dialogue among all involved.

Water Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, and Sustainable Water Resources Management

Water governance and stakeholder engagement are receiving research attention for their role in formulating and implementing solutions to the world’s critical water challenges. The inspiration for this Special Issue came from our desire to provide a platform for sharing results and informing the global water governance community about the wealth of excellent interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research and projects being carried out around the world. The 20 peer-reviewed papers collected in this Special Issue have been grouped into three categories: stakeholder engagement, tools for building water management and governance capacity, and perspectives on water management and governance. Following a brief summary of the papers, concluding remarks that reflect on what the papers, taken as a whole, contribute to our understanding are provided

Water Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, and Sustainable Water Resources Management

This Special Issue of Water will focus on the relationship of water governance practices and stakeholder engagement approaches to the development, evaluation, and adoption of solutions to water management challenges. It is well recognized that the human dimensions of considering alternative water management scenarios and policy options are as least as important as their engineering, hydrological, and financial aspects. Identifying good governance practices and successful stakeholder engagement approaches can assist decision makers and water managers as they grapple with meeting the multiple environmental, economic, and societal objectives associated with sustainable water management. Papers are solicited that connect governance and/or stakeholder engagement approaches to the identification, characterization, and/or adoption of sustainable water management strategies, including conservation focused, flood risk reduction and technological solutions. The Guest Editors will consider papers addressing water governance and stakeholder engagement at all geographic scales, including transboundary. Papers addressing surface water, groundwater, and/or integrated water resources management are of interest, as are papers that examine indicators for governance and stakeholder engagement practices

An Overview of Managed Aquifer Recharge in Mexico and Its Legal Framework

In Mexico, one hundred of the 188 most important aquifers dedicated to agriculture and human consumption are over-exploited and 32 are affected by seawater intrusion in coastal areas. Considering that Mexico relies on groundwater, it is vital to develop a portfolio of alternatives to recover aquifers and examine policies and programs regarding reclaimed water and stormwater. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) may be useful for increasing water availability and adapting to climate change in semi-arid regions of Mexico. In this paper, we present an overview of water recharge projects that have been conducted in Mexico in the last 50 years, their methods for recharge, water sources, geographical distribution, and the main results obtained in each project. We found three types of MAR efforts: (1) exploratory and suitability studies for MAR, (2) pilot projects, and (3) MAR facilities that currently operate. This study includes the examination of the legal framework for MAR to identify some challenges and opportunities that Mexican regulation contains in this regard. We find that beyond the technical issues that MAR projects normally address, the regulatory framework is a barrier to increasing MAR facilities in Mexico.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Evaluating Forage Cover Crop Mixes for the Desert Southwest

Cover crops are essential tools to improve soil health and productivity1. Traditionally, cover crops are used as ‘green manures’ where the cover crops are not harvested but incorporated into the ground to boost soil health and fertility. Therefore, it has become a common perception that cover crops are meant to be incorporated into the soil. In the desert Southwest, water scarcity forces the producers to utilize water more strategically, and green manure cover crops may not be an economically sustainable option for farmers in the desert

Long-Term Storage Credits: Analyzing Market-Based Transactions to Achieve Arizona Water Policy Objectives

The state of Arizona has created a unique water management tool in response to water scarcity and population growth. In 1994, Arizona's state legislature authorized the creation of long-term storage credits (LTSCs) through aquifer recharge with Colorado River water or effluent. LTSCs represent a quantity of water the owner is entitled to recover and use once the water has remained underground for a full calendar year. Owners may also sell their LTSCs to others by a simple credit account transfer. LTSCs have emerged as a tool for water users to achieve compliance with groundwater regulations in the most populated areas of the state, such as the cities of Phoenix and Tucson. Using data collected and maintained by the state's water resources regulator, this study examines sales of LTSCs to reveal patterns of market-based transactions. Analysis of 23 years of public records shows several trends: (1) LTSC transactions have been increasing since 2003; (2) municipal water providers and investment firms have been active participants in LTSC transactions; (3) the greatest transaction volumes involve governmental entities established by state law with groundwater recharge and replenishment obligations. This analysis reveals how LTSCs have contributed to achieving water policy goals in Central Arizona and suggests how the LTSC system can be used to improve water use efficiency through voluntary redistribution in other water scarce regions.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Grey Water Reuse for Agricultural Purposes in the Jordan Valley: Household Survey Results in Deir Alla

Installation of decentralized grey water treatment systems in small rural communities contributes to a more sustainable water supply. In order to gauge community attitudes about collection and use of grey water, a door-to-door survey in the farming community of Deir Alla, Jordan was conducted by Royal Scientific Society interviewers. Outcomes of a detailed survey, designed specifically for this project, offer insights on people’s views on general water and wastewater issues, as well as their motivation, practices and concerns related to using grey water treatment for a portion of their household wastewater and reuse of the treated grey water for irrigation. A total of 47 respondents from different socio-economic background, aged over 18 years, from this community in the Jordan valley took part in the survey. The level of formal education of the respondents was low, and most of households’ incomes were below the poverty line in Jordan. Most of the respondents reported that the quality of water supplied by public network is acceptable, but the quantity is insufficient to meet their demand, with supplies being delivered to the household once a week. Respondents relied on the public water network as a first-most important resource (85.1%), and 57.4% of the respondent relied on private water tankers as a second-most important resource in addition to the public network. However, 6% of the respondents relied only on private water tankers with no access to the public network. Storage tanks are common practice in all the houses in order to store enough water for at least one week. The survey responses provide evidence that rural communities are willing to accept reuse of treated grey water for irrigation. Furthermore, some of people in the studied area are willing to learn more about grey water treatment and reuse in order to operate grey water systems for irrigation purposes. Water scarcity in this rural area of Jordan is the main determinant of willingness to reuse the grey water, rather than socio-economic variables