The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources with New Mexico Tech is beginning a groundwater and surface water study along the Rio Grande between San Acacia and Fort Craig. The NM Interstate Stream Commission has established a funding agreement to investigate hydrologic connections among the Rio Grande, the Low Flow Conveyance Channel (LFCC), the riparian aquifer, and the riparian ecosystem along the San Acacia Reach of the Rio Grande.
Using existing groundwater monitoring wells in the region, the NM Bureau of Geology will establish both continuous and discrete (one-time) monitoring of shallow groundwater and regional groundwater levels in the San Acacia reach of the Rio Grande (from San Acacia to the Narrows). The purpose of this data collection effort includes tracking impacts or changes to surface water – groundwater conditions related to the management of the Low Flow Conveyance Channel (LFCC), adding current groundwater monitoring data to improve modeling outcomes, and assessing impacts to the riparian ecosystem health along the Rio Grande.
Project Scope
This project, starting in 2024 and completing in 2027, will include establishing long-term continuous monitoring of groundwater levels, soil moisture monitoring, and groundwater level mapping across the region. These data, along with other data collected by collaborating agencies, will be used in two student research projects at NM Tech.