Exhibit D - New Mexico - Texas Water Commission
PDNWC Coordinated
Database Project
Briefing of Congressional Staff
NM Water Resources Research Institute, 4 August 2004
El Paso Water Utilities, 10 September 2004
NM-TX Water Commission MAC Meeting
EPWU, 19 August 2004
Agenda for briefing
Introduction to the Project
Project background
Justification of project activities
Partners in collaboration
Project objectives and activities
Demonstration of ArcIMS Website
Discussion of future funding possibilities
Background of Database Project
Long term interest among regional stakeholders in access to water resource data
Role of the New Mexico-Texas Water Commission
Role of the Paso del Norte Watershed Council
Phase I activities funded by the El Paso Water
Utilities
Development of initial testbed project
Development of current project team
Current work ongoing in Phase II
New Mexico-Texas Water Commission
Developed out of long term Texas/New Mexico water conflict
Parties in Commission are regional water resource agencies (EBID, NMSU/WRRI, CLC, DAC, EPCWID
#1, UTEP, TAMU/TAES, EPWU)
New Mexico Texas Water Commission was tool for regional water planning EP/LC Regional
Sustainable Water Project
Environmental concerns of project drove establishment of the Paso del Norte Watershed Council
Paso del Norte Watershed Council
PdNWC Mission - As an advisory body to the
New Mexico-Texas Water Commission,
the Council investigates, develops, and recommends options for watershed planning and management exploring how water-related resources can best be balanced to benefit the Rio Grande ecosystem and the interests of all watershed stakeholders.
Paso del Norte Watershed Council
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS
City of El Paso
El Paso Water Utilities
El Paso League of Women Voters
Environmental Defense
El Instituto Municipal de Investigación y Planeación (IMIP)
El Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y
Pecuarias (INIFAP)
International Boundary & Water Commission (U. S. & Mexico)
New Mexico Department of Agriculture
New Mexico State University
New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute
Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Basin Coalition
Southwest Environmental Center
Texas A&M University Agricultural Research & Extension Center
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
La Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez
University of Texas at El Paso
U. S. Army - Fort Bliss Directorate of Environment
U. S. Bureau of Reclamation
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
World Wildlife Fund
Ysleta del Sur Pueblo
Idea for Coordinated Database Project
Long term discussions within NM-TXWC and regional stakeholders on utility of a database
Idea initially advanced by Conrad Keyes as a contract to El Paso Water Utilities and NM-TXWC
PDNWC formally proposed this concept to the El Paso Water Utilities (EPWU) in
2002
EPWU funded Phase I, which developed project prototype completed in fall 2003
Objectives of PDNWC DB Project
Historically, large numbers of agencies collected wide range of water resource data
Access to data lacked much coordination
Goal of the PdNWC project is to provide coordinated access to wide range of data via web-based access and GIS interface
Project facilitates greater sharing of data among both providers and end users
Overall goal is to enhance water resource management via regional approach in the PdN region
Components of PDNWC Phase I project
Use of Internet Map Server front end and image map tiles provide spatial query
(following graphic)
ArcIMS provides overall view of the study area
Pre-clipped tiles of larger map are served as image maps
Pop-up menus of available data are served off of image maps
Basic metadata (source, spatial extent, date, variables involved, format, and details on access) are served via web-interface and published in Final Project Report
Components of PDNWC project
Initial water resource datasets
Hewlett Binational Mapping data and other WRRI data provided map background.
Project staff in NM and Texas worked with their local data providers (EBID, EPCWID #1, EPWU, and
CLC) to obtain data.
Conversion of historical data to digital format for automated retrieval and digital processing
Larger datasets already served on-line by other agencies are incorporated (USGS, USBR, and
IBWC).
EPWU, UTEP, and UACJ data were identified for later inclusion into the project.
Benefits of Phase I Work
Developed cooperation across wide range of regional stakeholders
Identified stakeholder needs for coordinated access to water resource data
Demonstrated utility of the web-based interface and Internet Map Service
Established website for public access to data, available at http://www.pdnwatershed.org/
Developed specific recommendations of Phase
II of the project
Ongoing enhancements
Enhance GIS user interface
Integrate data from new monitoring stations and equipment
Incorporate UACJ, UTEP, and EPWU data more fully into next phases of project
Develop improved data access and sharing capabilities
Develop partnerships for new data sources
Ideas for future work
Inclusion of new data sources into future project phases,
Groundwater source water protection data
Stormwater runoff and best management practice data,
Land use data for future land use modeling efforts
Link the EPWU Database Project to other regional water resource projects
USACE/URGWOM modeling activities
Lower Rio Grande Basin database and modeling efforts
Additional funding is needed to continue the development and maintenance of the water resource database
Overall project benefits
The Project is a tri-state, binational coordinated database compilation and sharing effort.
The Project supports a regional approach to water resource management in the Paso del
Norte region.
The Project has brought a wide range of capable stakeholders and researchers into a cohesive and effective team.
