Sul Ross State University
A Member of the Texas State University System

Rio Grande Research Center: Overview

Background

Far West Texas demographic trends clearly indicate an escalating competition for all natural resources, specifically water. Developing a transboundary water management plan for the sustainable use of the Rio Grande remains an elusive goal with significant economic and ecosystem implications for both the United States and Mexico. The purpose of the Sustainable Agricultural Freshwater Conservation in the Rio Grande Basin project is to conduct necessary scientific investigations for the development of coherent future policy options.

Scientific, professional and policy making communities are engaged in a serious discussion about the combined impact of engineered flood/drought cycle infrastructure which have radically altered watershed ecology in the Rio Grande Basin. In addition, significant concerns about the consequences of observed climate change on water quality and quantity must be addressed.

Water use practices and priorities are a potential trigger for social, political and economic conflict. The Rio Grande Research Center's research program is intended to foster international and intergovernmental collaboration has focused on the development of a diagnosis framework, The Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis, that will be useful in the development of a basinwide water management plan. This plan will address sustainable agricultural, social, economic, environmental and urban water use.

Project Overview

The Rio Grande Research Center located at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, serves as the Sustainable Agricultural Freshwater Conservation in the Rio Grande Basin project headquarters. Project administration is coordinated at Sul Ross State University working in partnership with sister universities in the Texas State University System, non-governmental organizations and others.

The Sustainable Agricultural Water Conservation Research Project coordinates the research efforts and project-wide data compilation. The project coordinates its work closely with the water conservation research and outreach conducted by Texas Water Resources Institute at Texas A&M through the Rio Grande Basin Initiative.