Technical Report

Efficient Irrigation Water Management and Use in the Middle Rio Grande

URL: https://webapps.usgs.gov/mrgescp/documents/Oad%20et%20al_2007_Efficient%20Irrigation%20Water%20Management%20and%20Use%20in%20the%20MRG.pdf

Date: 2007/05/30

Author(s): Oad R., Garcia L., Kinzli K., Patterson D., Shafike N.

Publication: Report prepared for New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, 59 p.

Abstract:

This project was conducted in the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) with Fiscal Year 2006 funding from the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission (NMISC). The primary purpose was to make improvements to the Decision-Support System (DSS) water management model that was formulated in the years 2004-05, and to complete the related datasets for the Belen and Socorro divisions. The overall goal of the DSS project is to develop information and tools that will support improvements in MRGCD irrigation system operations, including efficient water delivery to irrigators. Key elements of the work conducted under FY2006 ISC funding include:

(i) Update and complete data sets for the years 2004 and 2005 and prepare draft for 2006, which will include information on weather, cropping patterns, river water diversions and ditch-rider field logs.

(ii) Implement and test the DSS model in areas where the model and data sets have been completed (Belen and Socorro Divisions). Testing will consist of implementing the model in the field and observing how well the model functions as compared to the actual water delivery practice of the ditch-riders in the field.

(iii) Conduct on-going improvements to the model, including:

• Add the capabilities of using ET-Toolbox in addition to the IDSCU model for computing crop water requirements.
• Refine the methodology of accounting for return flow in the DSS model
• Investigate whether the DSS model can be operated using forecasted weather.