IDENTIFICATION AND METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TO ASSESS TRANSBOUNDARY AQUIFERS ALONG THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER

Water does not respect geography or political boundaries. Water is shared by countries and regions all over the world, sometimes visible as surface water but more often it is invisible as groundwater. The United States and Mexico share more than political, economic and social challenges. Both countries' boundaries are delimited by two international rivers beneath which poorly studied groundwater lie. Studies are needed to enable transparent and effective collaboration of scientists and water planners north and south of the border. The first step is to establish a common methodology for delineating aquifer extents to ensure proper management practices.

The objective of this study is to develop methodology to delineate aquifers based on certain transboundary aquifer criteria. The first step is to analyze the available literature and identify differences in methodology for collecting and characterizing transboundary groundwater data along both sides of the border in each state. Second, to consider hydrological considerations, we used a large data set that did not exclude any potential aquifers despite aquifer size, city overlaying it, or the water use for that aquifer. By analyzing the literature and utilizing GIS software we will create a visual understanding or representation of potential transboundary aquifers along the U.S.-Mexico border. Lastly, analyzed borehole data will be arranged in regional fence diagrams in certain regions to confirm the correct categorization of transboundary aquifers.