Binational Study of the Transboundary San Pedro Aquifer
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BINATIONAL STUDY OF THE TRANSBOUNDARY SAN PEDRO AQUIFER Final Report 2016 AUTHORITY This study was carried out by the United States and Mexico in accordance with resolution 6 of Minute 242 of the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico (IBWC) entitled “Permanent and Definitive Solution to the International Problem of the Salinity of the Colorado River”, dated August 30, 1973; and the "Joint Report of the Principal Engineers Regarding the Joint Cooperative Process United States- Mexico for the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program”, dated August 19, 2009. FUNDING The funding for this study came from the United States Geological Survey Groundwater Resources Program and Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program, the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center and Technology Research and Initiative Fund, Mexico's National Water Commission, and the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico. PARTICIPATING AGENCIES International Boundary and Water Commission United States and Mexico For Mexico: National Water Commission University of Sonora For the United States: United States Geological Survey The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center Authors: J.B. Callegary, I. Minjárez Sosa, E.M. Tapia Villaseñor, P. dos Santos, R. Monreal Saavedra, F.J. Grijalva Noriega, A.K. Huth, F. Gray, C.A. Scott, L.A. Oroz Ramos, S.B. Megdal, M. Rangel Medina, J.M. Leenhouts Suggested Citation: Callegary, J.B., Minjárez Sosa, I., Tapia Villaseñor, E.M., dos Santos, P., Monreal Saavedra, R., Grijalva Noriega, F.J., Huth, A.K., Gray, F., Scott, C.A., Megdal, S.B., Oroz Ramos, L.A., Rangel Medina, M., Leenhouts, J.M., 2016, San Pedro River Aquifer Binational Report: International Boundary and Water Commission BINATIONAL STUDY GROUP For the International Boundary and Water Commission, United States and Mexico: - Edward Drusina, Commissioner, United States Section - John L. Merino, Principal Engineer, United States Section - Jose A. Nuñez, Principal Engineer, United States Section - Gilbert Anaya, Division Chief, Project Coordinator, United States Section - Roberto F. Salmón Castelo, Commissioner, Mexican Section - Luis Antonio Rascón Mendoza, Principal Engineer, Mexican Section - Manuel Alejandro Morales Galván, Engineer, Project Coordinator, Mexican Section - Ramiro Luján Godínez, Engineer, Project Coordinator, Mexican Section - Jesús Quintanar Guadarrama, Representative in Nogales, Sonora, Mexican Section For the United States Geological Survey: - James Leenhouts, Director, Arizona Water Science Center - Bruce Gungle, Hydrologist - James Callegary, Hydrologist, Principal Investigator - Floyd Gray, Geologist, Principal Investigator For the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center: - Sharon Megdal, Director, Principal Investigator - Plácido dos Santos, Coordinator, Principal Investigator - Christopher Scott, Principal Investigator - Anne Huth, GIS Research Investigator For the National Water Commission: - Rubén Chávez Guillén, Director, Office of Groundwater - Roberto Sención Aceves - Lucas Oroz Ramos - José Arturo López - Victor M. Castañón Arcos For the Sonora State Water Commission: - Roberto Molina Acedo - Alberto Bustamante Juvera For the University of Sonora: - Ismael Minjárez Sosa, Coordinator, Principal Investigator - Rogelio Monreal Saavedra, Principal Investigator - Elia María Tapia Villaseñor, Principal Investigator - Francisco Javier Grijalva Noriega, Principal Investigator - Miguel Rangel Medina The binational group acknowledges the valuable participation of a great number of technical and administrative collaborators who directly or indirectly participated in the development of this study, either through supervision, field work, printing, editing, administrative control, etc., or through valuable contributions of information, ideas and comments on the study results, and their interpretation. Table of Contents LIST OF ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................................10 AGENCIES .......................................................................................................................... 10 KEY TECHNICAL TERMS ................................................................................................... 10 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...............................................................................................................12 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................17 1.1. Background ............................................................................................................... 17 1.2. Study Area ................................................................................................................ 18 1.3. Study Objectives ........................................................................................................ 21 1.4. Previous Studies ........................................................................................................ 21 1.5. Binational Socioeconomic Environment ....................................................................... 22 1.6. Binational Water Management Environment ................................................................. 23 1.7. Technical Work Undertaken ........................................................................................ 25 1.8. Methodologies and Techniques Applied ....................................................................... 25 2. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.........................................................................................................27 2.1. Physiographic Province .............................................................................................. 27 2.2. Drainage Network and Drainage Basin ......................................................................... 27 2.3. Hydrologic Region ..................................................................................................... 29 2.4. Soils ......................................................................................................................... 29 2.5. Vegetation ............................................................................................................... 30 3. SURFACE-WATER HYDROLOGY AND HYDROMETEOROLOGY ........................................... 33 3.1. Climatological Analysis .............................................................................................. 33 3.2. Precipitation and Evapotranspiration ............................................................................ 35 3.3. Surface Hydrologic System ......................................................................................... 42 3.4. Terrain Slopes ......................................................................................................... 43 3.5. Land Cover and Use ................................................................................................... 43 4. CONCEPTUAL GEOLOGIC MODEL .........................................................................................48 4.1. Regional Geologic Context ......................................................................................... 48 4.2. Stratigraphy ............................................................................................................... 49 4.3. Structural Geology ..................................................................................................... 58 4.4. Three-dimensional Geology of the Subsurface ............................................................... 58 4.5. Depth to Basement and Structure ................................................................................. 59 4.6. Characteristics of the Sedimentary Fill.......................................................................... 62 5. HYDROGEOLOGY ...................................................................................................................66 5.1. Hydrogeologic Basement ............................................................................................ 66 5.2. Hydrostratigraphic Units ............................................................................................. 68 5.3. Definition of the Aquifer System ............................................................................... 69 6. PIEZOMETRY AND HYDRAULIC PARAMETERS ....................................................................71 6.1. Comprehensive Well Survey ....................................................................................... 71 6.2. Description of Spatial and Temporal Variability of Water Levels ..................................... 81 6.3. Definition and Interpretation of Subsurface Hydraulic Parameters .................................... 84 7. HYDROGEOCHEMISTRY ........................................................................................................90 7.1. Hydrogeochemical Sampling ....................................................................................... 90 7.2. Temperature and pH ................................................................................................... 91 7.3. Water Quality ............................................................................................................ 95 7.4. Distribution of Major Ions and Identification of Water Families .................................... 100 7.5. Stable Isotopes........................................................................................................