NM WRRI provides support for water-related research through its Faculty Water Research Grant Program. Funds are made available through the Institute’s federal base grant (Section 104B of the Water Resources Research Act – [Public Law 109-471]) and through state appropriations. These “seed money” projects allow New Mexico university faculty to pursue critical areas of water resources research while providing training opportunities for their students. The grants generally provide about $30,000 per project. The grants help faculty to explore and develop research ideas that can attract more substantial outside funding. Grants are available to tenure track faculty members in any department at one of the state’s six research universities (UNM, NM Tech, NMSU, NMHU, WNMU, and ENMU).
We hypothesize that numerical simulation of root zone soil water dynamics in silage sorghum-winter cover crop mixture cropping systems will improve soil water conservation in semi-arid regions. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of winter cover crops on the soil water content and RWU of forage crops and their linkages with silage yield and soil health. The specific objectives of this project are: (i) to evaluate the effect of winter cover crop mixtures on the spatial and temporal RWU in irrigated silage sorghum and (ii) to evaluate the effect of winter cover crops on soil water conservation and soil health parameters in irrigated silage sorghum production system.
We propose to analyze drought vulnerability for the entire state of New Mexico under future climate change scenarios. In arid environments such as New Mexico, water availability has become a serious and important issue during the past several decades of climate change. We hypothesize that New Mexico will face an even more severe lack of water availability in the coming century, and it is important to analyze such anticipated drought conditions under climate change scenarios with associated uncertainty properly estimated. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) (2016) also expressed their concerns about this very problem arguing that the state of New Mexico “needs to prepare for the expected impacts of these climate trends” such as more excessive heat, worsening an already severe lack of water availability.
To address these concerns, we aim to create a statewide physically-based coupled hydrologic model that can simulate both surface and subsurface water resources, and their interactions more effectively. Our objectives are (1) to determine the most appropriate spatial resolution of statewide modeling units, (2) to create a computationally feasible surface-subsurface hydrologic model, (3) to develop distributed computing techniques for large-scale optimization, (4) to forecast droughts until 2100 with associated uncertainty using climatological data from the Global Climate Models (GCMs), and (5) to calculate and suggest the drought vulnerability index across New Mexico.
PFAS chemicals have been widely used in commercial products and industrial processes. In the past decades, PFAS chemicals were detected in environmental samples worldwide, even in samples from remote regions such as Arctic and alpine areas. Their ubiquitous occurrence, environmental persistence, and potential toxicity pose threats to the public and ecosystems. Due to the regulation of traditional long-chain PFAS, industrial applications of PFAS shifted to novel short-chain PFAS. The simultaneous occurrence of traditional novel PFAS chemicals leads to their co-transport in the subsurface and subsequent co-exposure to humans and wildlife. However, most previous studies applied unrealistic experimental conditions of single PFAS chemicals. Therefore, understanding may vary under the real-world scenarios of co-occurrence. To better understand the migration of PFAS chemicals and their potential health risks, it is important to consider their collective effects during the investigation.
Overall, this project aims at understanding the migration and toxicity of PFAS chemicals under more realistic scenarios. Three specific objectives are included in this project: Objective 1 - Deriving PFAS chemicals’ co-occurrence; Objective 2 - Investigating PFAS co-transport in the subsurface; and Objective 3 – Studying the toxicity due to PFAS co-exposure.
Earth’s surface will significantly change as the climate warms. In New Mexico, water availability along the Rio Grande corridor is of paramount concern. But New Mexicans will be faced with more than just changes in temperature, precipitation, and runoff. Alluvial rivers, such as the Rio Grande (RG), adapt to changing conditions by adjusting their channel geometry. The effects of warmer, drier climate on the channel pattern of the RG are not well constrained. Our long-term goal is to address this knowledge gap using a tiered, forward model approach.
In this WRRI proposed project we take the first step toward this goal and ask “How will climate change affect the morphology of the RG in New Mexico?” We hypothesize that the prolonged warming of the climate and possible decrease of precipitation in the region will promote the transition of the RG from the present-day meandering/anastomosing morphology to a future braided river morphology by modifications in channel geometry.
Physical disturbances, such as drought and anthropogenic dewatering, can play a central role in structuring riverine ecosystems. Stream drying events cause a decrease in habitat availability through streambed drying which often results in temporary aquatic habitats in the form of isolated pools. As drying intensifies, organisms within these isolated pools can be subjected to increased abiotic and biotic stressors (e.g., increased water temperatures and predation) that can cause increased mortality rates. In many places, including the Southwestern U.S, drought events are predicted to become more frequent, intense, and longer lasting in the coming decades because of global climate change. Furthermore, the effects of drought on aquatic ecosystems will likely intensify due to an ever-growing water demand from humans. Thus, it is imperative to understand how stream drying impacts riverine biota in order to better inform management and conservation decisions. Specifically, water managers and biologists will benefit from a better ecological understanding of species responses in isolated pools during periods of reduced stream flows.
The objectives of this study are to 1) examine spatial and temporal variation in community structure of riverine biota within isolated drying pools and nearby perennial (i.e., flowing) habitats within the Pecos River, NM, 2) examine the relationship between community structure and environmental/spatial variables, 3) quantify co-variation and congruence among different groups of riverine biota, 4) compare community structure of riverine biota between isolated pools and nearby perennial habitats, and 5) implement lab experiments to quantify interspecific differences in drought resistant traits (i.e., thermal and hypoxia tolerances) of aquatic taxa.
Run of the river water diversions for irrigation purposes have two operation issues that are difficult to manage. These issues are diverting their allotted flow from the river while striving not to disrupt water diversions for other irrigation organizations downstream. A second issue involves providing the allotted water to users within their organization despite having fluctuations within the system. River diversions are subjected to fluctuations because of weather, water travel times from upstream sources, mistakes in water diversions upstream and water stealing. These fluctuations make it difficult to obtain a constant water diversion. Water deliveries to water users within the water organization, also experience water delivery disruptions because of weather changes, water stealing, poor water delivery timing, etc. There are a number of acequias and irrigation districts in New Mexico, the USA and the world that obtain their water from a run of the river diversion. This research would benefit these organizations.
In this research we propose developing process control feedback methods to provide near constant water deliveries from run of the river water diversions as well as allotted water to water users within the water supply organization. Process control is used extensively and successfully in industry throughout the world and we plan to develop a process control system that meets the special requirements of irrigation water deliveries.
Wildfires are increasing globally in frequency, severity, and extent, but their impact to fluvial networks, and the resources they provide, remains unclear. There is growing evidence that wildfires trigger cascading impacts that propagate across fluvial networks and impact key ecosystem services. These impacts originate in hillslopes and streams within burned areas and affect water quantity and quality over multiple spatiotemporal scales. While we currently map fire areas and their severity with relatively high accuracy using areal and satellite images, we do not have comparable abilities to map the propagation of wildfire disturbances across fluvial networks. Since current fire models consistently predict that the prevalence of wildfire and associated damage will continue to increase due to anthropogenic climate change and forest management practices, we must be able to quantify and predict the propagation of wildfire disturbances. However, to date, we lack data and modeling tools to answer the fundamental questions: how far downstream do wildfire disturbances propagate in fluvial networks and what are the key controlling factors? These knowledge gaps hinder our ability to mitigate wildfire impacts to aquatic ecosystems and to protect their vital services.
Our proposed research seeks to collect pioneering data from one experimental site in New Mexico to start answering these questions using a transformative approach, focused on the deployment of rapid response teams (RRTs) and novel aquatic sensors, including one recent invention sponsored by NM WRRI, to gather spatiotemporally relevant data on disturbance propagation and generate watershed-scale predictions through data-based modeling.
Urban centers around the world, including those in the American Southwest, are grappling with the challenges associated with population increases, drought, and projected water shortages. In New Mexico, water management and climate change experts warn of a new reality characterized by higher temperatures and less precipitation. This future requires new thinking regarding water management, use, and governance. Potable water reuse (i.e., purification of domestic wastewater for reuse as drinking water) is emerging as a promising option for supplementing existing water supplies without requiring substantial changes to lifestyles or infrastructure. Although researchers have demonstrated that existing technologies can be used to safely implement potable reuse, and a number of existing facilities have been serving customers for decades with no known negative health impacts, public opposition is currently seen as the main obstacle to new projects. Thus, much research has been conducted on public perceptions of potable water reuse, especially in California and Australia, to better understand how to communicate and engage with the public and design effective educational materials on the topic.
The proposed research would provide the first detailed analysis of public questions and concerns about potable water reuse based on hundreds of write-in responses from a survey conducted by the PI. The PI would lead a graduate student in analysis of the responses. Following a literature review, the survey write-in response data would be organized in Excel, codes would be developed to categorize the write-in responses for each question, broader themes would be drawn from the codes, and the data would be plotted and graphically displayed, with further cross-examination with the demographic (and possibly other) data included in the full survey data set. The work would be written up and published in a peer-reviewed journal.
In recent decades, irrigated agriculture has faced growing challenges of groundwater over pumping exceeding the aquifer recharge rate across regions in the U.S. Among which, the High Plains region nourished by the Ogallala aquifer is the largest region of concern. The scientific research community and policymakers have strived to explore sustainable ways to coordinate agricultural water use and environmental conservation. The proposed project concerns Eastern New Mexico, which sits on the western side of the High Plains and is the prime crop production area of the state. As the groundwater level continues to decline in the area and agricultural producers are exposed to the mounting risk of drought, adapting to the changing water and climate situation seems to be the most feasible approach to sustainability and economic livelihood.
The agricultural production in New Mexico and most of the world depends on irrigation. The combination of draught, increasing competition for water from industry and urbanization, salinity and the challenge of economic competitiveness associated with small scale agriculture is threatening the survival of small-scale irrigated agriculture in Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRG).
This proposal aims at using drone-based sensors to evaluate the real-time water use (ET), and assess the spatial variability of ET which could be caused by various factors such as moisture deficit, salinity, nutrient, disease or pests. The information on the real time ET values can then be used for;
1- Real time irrigation scheduling which can promote water conservation, productivity, and economic return.
2- The information on the spatial variability of ET across the field, can also be used to diagnose the cause of stress which is affecting the ET, and targeted measures can then be implemented to remedy the problem. Example of targeted measures include adding nutrients, adding chemical to alleviate salinity, pests or disease.
We aim to answer the question: how will diffuse recharge in the headwaters of New Mexican rivers alter during climate change? The annual flows in New Mexico and in much of the Mountain West are dominated by snow-melt (Lehner et al., 2017). As climate warms and precipitation becomes less reliable, snow packs are expected to decrease in amount, melt earlier and for a longer though for a smaller overall volume, and be less consistent through time (Mote et al., 2005; Hamlet et al., 2005; Jones and Gutzler, 2016; Musselman et al., 2017). To predict changing diffuse recharge under changing climate in New Mexico, we propose adding a multilayered energy balance snow model (pySNOBAL; Python Snow Energy and Mass Balance Model; Marks and Dozier, 1992; Marks et al., 1999; Marks and Winstral, 2001; Havens et al., 2018) to the potential recharge model, PyRANA, the Python Recharge Assessment for New Mexico Aquifers developed at New Mexico Tech under the NMWRRI funded NM SWB project (Ketchum, 2016; ReVelle, 2017; Xu, 2018). The addition of an energy balance snow model to PyRANA will replace the calibrated lumped parameter model, which will struggle in climate change simulations (Melsen and Guse, 2019).
Currently, there is limited information regarding the timing of reproductive events by native and nonnative fishes in the Pecos River relative to environmental conditions. Thus, water managers are uninformed regarding potential impacts of the timing and magnitude of reservoir water releases on fish assemblages. This study will fill critical knowledge gaps by quantifying: 1) adult spawning movements, 2) drifting egg and larval densities, and 3) juvenile survival relative to environmental conditions and reservoir water releases. Ultimately, this information should be considered by water managers to select dates and magnitudes of water releases to inflict minimal impacts on reproductive effort of native fishes.
This project will develop a noninvasive and spatially distributed geophysical method (i.e., time lapse electrical resistivity) for mapping the water table below and adjacent to the Rio Grande river, which will be validated using groundwater table monitoring well data. Repeated monitoring before, during, and after the irrigation season will be used to characterize the transient and spatial connectivity of the water table with the base of the Rio Grande from disconnection, to connection, and back to disconnection. Electrical resistivity (i.e., inversely related to electrical conductivity and also water saturation) transect monitoring over time will be used to observe the partial connection, complete connection, and reversal of the connection along the base of the Rio Grande. This type of spatiotemporal groundwater level assessment will be invaluable for developing our quantitative understanding of the disconnection process, and will support the sustainable conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater as a resource.
In semiarid regions such as NM sustainability of water resources, agricultural production, and human livelihood are concerning issues. The proposed project activities are expected to have significant societal impact in terms of improving water use practices; enhancing resiliency of water resources systems; increasing pecan orchard production through efficient and sustainable use of available water resources; and enhancing socioeconomic stability through sustainable livelihood activities. The participation of a stakeholder can provide guidance and help New Mexico to use and adopt science-based efficient water-use practices.
Arsenic (As) has significant impact on human health even at low concentration in drinking water due to its high carcinogenicity and toxicity. Current water treatment processes have limited effectiveness in the removal of constituents of toxicological significance. Hereby, we propose the capacitive deionization (CDI) method to sufficiently remove As in water. The results of this study will provide valuable information to make brackish water as an alternative water resource to augment local water supplies and reduce the environmental risks. The research results will be used as preliminary data to apply for external funding, such as NSF, BoR, USGS, and New Mexico Water Trust Board on water reuse and desalination.
This project will focus on developing a computer control program that is designed to operate open channel water conveyance systems in an optimal manner. The control program will be developed and implemented on actual canal reaches using some of the latest open channel control modelling research reported by Stringam (2010) and Stringam and Wahl (2015). This means that the control routine will better deliver water to intended locations at the desired time and in the desired quantity.
This proposed research seeks to expand ecological knowledge of a state threatened species, the Rio Grande Cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi). Apart from being a state threatened species, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is currently reviewing Pseudemys gorzugi status for potential federal protection with listing findings scheduled for 2023. Yet, the knowledge on this species to date is limited which makes decision making process challenging. Research proposed here seeks to focus on studying species trophic level and its diet through stable isotope analyses of animal tissues which in turn will provide information on the species habitat requirements and aid to federal decision making.
The scientific goal is to test the hypothesis that significant aquifer recharge occurs in very small “zeroth-order” channels that drain sub-catchments within semi-arid southwestern US rangelands, as suggested by Schreiner-McGraw and Vivoni (2017). We propose to test this hypothesis by analyzing the accumulated chloride within the soil and sediment profile underlying these small channels and their surrounding interfluves or hillslopes.
Project measurements will record soil moisture and temperature using continuous data loggers, changes in plant species composition and production over time, control treatment effectiveness and longevity, changes in fuel loading and structure, and changes in fire behavior and fuels reduction capacity between warm and cool season prescribed fires. The outcomes of this study will help land managers improve the beneficial use of limited water availability by incentivizing them and their funding sources with verified data showing that control treatments can improve soil water availability, vegetation composition and production, and dangerous fuel loads and structure. The goal of this project is to teach people how to more effectively manage limited water resources and show them that time and money spent on invasive species control conserve water; improve the condition of soil, vegetation, and water; and strengthen local communities. Lessons learned through this research project will be shared through oral presentations, field tours to research sites, and written publications.
This research will explore new ideas in soil mapping that expand our understanding of the spatial distribution of water storage and transmission through dryland ecosystems. It will also directly support forecasting of hydrologic and vegetation dynamics in arid ecosystems. The overall goal of this proposal is to improve soil information for parameterizing hydrologic and ecohydrologic models which forecast hydrological and vegetation dynamics under future climate scenarios. Such forecasts could be utilized to understand vegetation dynamics as well as to prioritize areas for management activities.
The overall goal of this proposal is to understand the impacts of ash from wildfires on water quality in New Mexico. There is limited information about the effect of metals associated with ash produced by wildfires. The research objective of this proposal is to investigate the mechanisms by which metals contained in post-fire ash affect water quality. An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to investigate the key processes that affect the chemical and physical interactions of metals contained in ash and water.
The goal of this project is to help restore consumer confidence and grower trust in the Animas and San Juan Rivers following the Gold King Mine blow-out of August 2015 by continuing to sample ditches and fields to ascertain if soil contaminant concentrations are above or the same as pre-August 2015 levels. These evaluations are critical to reassure growers and consumers in the region that the products grown on soils in the Animas and San Juan River Watersheds are safe.
The overarching goal of this proposal is to improve our mechanistic understanding and prediction of mountain recharge and its implications for local and statewide water budgets. Mountain recharge, defined as the contribution from mountains to groundwater recharge of the adjacent basin aquifer along the mountain front, is an important source of recharge in arid and semiarid regions. This proposal will leverage and create collaboration with the research group working on the NM recharge map. In addition, it will implement a detailed hydrologic model in the Taos acequia irrigation system, an area of detailed study by the NM WRRI. Results from this proposal will be used to seek additional funding through a larger NSF proposal.
Communities with exceptional water scarcity, including some in New Mexico, are considering planned potable reuse to meet future water needs. The objective of this project is to fill the knowledge gaps using a large, urban New Mexican community as a case study. The research will contribute to the literature and lay the foundation for future research, which will ultimately provide a transformative set of tools for planning and decision-making with respect to planned potable reuse in arid, inland communities.
This project aims to produce a new type of porous monolith that is capable of adsorbing arsenic from drinking water. The monolith will have practical advantages over commercially available methods. Eventually the hope is to produce a new generation of economical adsorbents for arsenic and heavy metal removal from water resources.
The study will develop an innovative microbial capacitive deionization cell (MCDC) to simultaneously remove organic substances and salts from produced water so it can be recycled and reused. Moreover, compared to other energy intensive systems, MCDC uses bacteria to convert biodegradable pollutants into direct electricity, which offsets operation energy use or supplies additional energy for other systems. Investigators will develop novel modular systems for produced water treatment using advanced carbon materials as electrodes, and optimize reactor configuration to improve the removal of solutes in the reactor. The proposed system can be used as a standalone process or as pretreatment for membrane desalination processes to reduce energy consumption and fouling potential.
This project will implement a methodology to estimate statewide water budgets based on streamflow time-series because they integrate watershed processes and flowpaths that operate at different spatial and temporal scales. This research complements and further develops and implements a parsimonious and pseudo real-time methodology that allows estimates of statewide water budgets. The key product of this research is the characterization of watershed-fluxes of precipitation and evapotranspiration as well as the rainless conditions that prevail during most of the hydrologic year in New Mexico. Hypotheses will be tested in four major NM basins: Canadian River, Rio Grande, Gila River, and the Pecos River.
Draft Technical Completion Report
The project will produce a white paper that illuminates the potential impacts of alternative policies for controlling nitrate pollution from New Mexico’s dairies. The paper will be aimed at policymakers and will include ample simulations of the policy impacts on nitrate pollution control and farm incomes.
Draft Technical Completion ReportThe project will survey drought responses made in law and policy within New Mexico, across the West, and in other arid parts of the world. The objective is to provide meaningful water law and policy options for New Mexico lawmakers that can be successfully implemented in New Mexico to promote water conservation and efficiency.
Draft Technical Completion Report
The water budget estimation requires accurate knowledge of interactions between surface water including irrigation water and precipitation, crop water uptake, deep percolation, and recharge to groundwater. This project’s objectives are to analyze fluctuations of water table on a monthly basis along the Rio Grande river south of Garfield NM down to Fabens, TX and develop a model that describes the influence of the river and canal systems on the water aquifers; analyze fluctuations in groundwater quality by collecting water samples from over 50 observation wells and river water; and develop a preliminary water budget for the experimental area and identify the influence of surface and groundwater interaction on water quality.
Technical Completion Report No. 372The study will look at data that will reveal the importance of soil water sodicity assessment as a predictive tool for assessing risk of lands to invasive and weedy plants. This metric is of significant value to the diverse stakeholders in predicting plant invasions before they become a problem.
This research is expected to open new lines of inquiry into the water quality effects of wildfire. The study will measure the black carbon concentration in depositional zones of three recently burned watersheds in New Mexico (Whitewater Baldy fire in the Gila National Forest, Little Bear fire in Lincoln National Forest, and the Las Conchas fire in the Valles Caldera National Preserve and Bandolier National Monument). The PI will test for the presence of certain contaminants found by previous researchers to be associated with wildfires. It will identify the relative importance of mass movement and overland or river flow in transporting pyrogenic black carbon through recently burned semi-arid watersheds by identifying the dominant depositional zones – floodplains, river banks, or depositional debris fans.
The primary objective of the study is to provide hydrogeologic information in digital GIS formats at scales appropriate for development of the groundwater-flow and hydrochemical models needed to support water-resource planning and management in the binational Mesilla Basin-Paso del Norte region. The area of extensive and locally-thick basin-fill aquifer systems proposed for digital characterization includes the entire Mesilla Basin, the Rincon and Mesilla Valleys of the Rio Grande, and adjacent parts of the southern Jornada (del Muerto) and Palomas Basins that are located between Caballo Dam and El Paso/Ciudad Juarez.
Karst aquifers supply water to 25% of the United States, and almost all water to some regions, e.g., 90% of Florida’s population. Much of the southern New Mexico Pecos Watershed is karst. The proposed mathematical models and field project are designed to illuminate karst conduit to matrix water exchanges and their role in a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic (bio)geochemical processes, including contaminant transport and sequestration in karst aquifers. These issues are of concern to water supply, water quality, and environmental agencies and interest groups at the local, state and federal level.
Millions of barrels of produced water are generated during gas production in New Mexico each year. While not drinkable because of the high salt content, trace organics, and heavy metals, produced water can be treated for agricultural and industrial purposes. Using produced water for industrial purposes would free up freshwater for other uses. A major problem with treating produced water with membrane separation, as is commonly done, is that its large-scale implementation has been plagued by the reoccurring biofouling of the membranes and the associated high operating costs. Conventional de-fouling techniques, such as acid and alkaline/detergent cleaning, are generally ineffective. This research looks at using bacteria’s ability to “eat” their neighboring siblings under nutrient-limited conditions and feed on the released nutrients. This “cannibalism” may be used to control membrane biofouling.
Technical Completion Report No. 338Mountain rains are a major source of fresh water in New Mexico. Characterizing the spatial variability of precipitation is critical for understanding and predicting both natural and human-influenced hydrologic responses, like recharge, runoff, and reservoir releases. NEXRAD radar is used to provide continuous temporal and spatial precipitation data. This study provides a statistical approach to improve the quality of NEXRAD estimation, which will be valuable to water resources managers, water regulators, planners, and decision makers like the Office of the State Engineer and the Interstate Stream Commission.
Providing decision makers with better forecasts of water supply is the aim of this research that will develop new geospatial modeling tools for managing water supplies in New Mexico using scientific knowledge on climate, surface, and groundwater relations. Although the modeling results are sophisticated, they will be made amenable to water managers via the web in a similar fashion to existing drought maps. The modeling tool is expected to provide detailed simulation capabilities for flood and drought forecasting, estimate runoff, evaporation and aquifer recharge, and simulate basin water storage and supply.
Technical Completion Report No. 345The two researchers are heading a project that will provide an economic model of land use change within the Middle Rio Grande basin. The model will be used to predict future land use patterns in the region and to estimate future nonpoint pollution levels. City managers and water quality agencies could use this model for planning purposes.
Technical Completion Report No. 346Recently, an evaluation of the Lower Rio Grande indicated that over half the water is unaccounted for in the water budget. That water is likely used for households, riparian vegetation, supplemental farm irrigation, and off-season runoff. In order to determine how the water is being consumed, the researchers will use innovations in satellite technology that have made it possible to process satellite data to estimate evapotranspiration. A team of investigators at NMSU have developed the software to provide regional ET maps from the NASA-TERRA satellite. These maps can be used to help schedule irrigation, for example. The maps will also allow for assessing the impact of water conservation policies on a regional basis by measuring water use before and after the implementation of policies. Real time ET maps will be made available to the public thereby allowing farmers to compare the water use of different crops and determine the best irrigation schedule.
In many areas of southern New Mexico and the border region, there is a need to develop low-cost wastewater treatment methods. These areas are experiencing rapid population growth, urban expansion, and environmental pollution. Using conventional treatment technologies to treat wastewater to a high standard is not always practical, especially in communities that lack the required infrastructure and cannot afford the installation and maintenance. This research looks at land application systems, a biological treatment technology that has low costs and easy management compared to conventional technologies. This project will evaluate a land application system installed at the West Mesa Industrial Park near the city of Las Cruces.
This research will try to improve the distillation process used for desalinating brackish water in our state. This technology consumes low energy and can use low grade energy. This will drastically reduce the cost for treating brackish water to produce high quality fresh water. Specifically, Deng and his research team are evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of a solar evaporative desalination process that uses membrane distillation technology. Membrane distillation is a relatively new process that is being looked at worldwide as a low cost, energy saving alternative to conventional separation processes such as distillation and reverse osmosis. The technology uses a porous hydrophobic membrane that excludes liquid from the pores but not vapors. The process can be operated at a lower temperature than regular thermal distillation. This process could be powered with New Mexico’s solar energy.
Technical Completion Report No. 342This researcher is developing a solar-powered desalination system and will conduct pilot scale studies on the system. His approach has the potential for wider applications in reclaiming high quality water from wastewaters and industrial side streams such as produced waters from oil fields. An advantage to his approach is that it does not consume nonrenewable energy resources, reduces reliance on energy imports, and is not harmful to the environment.
This project looks at trying to make use of the vast amount of brackish water in New Mexico by determining if saline and other impaired waters can be utilized for turf irrigation. New and improved salt tolerant warm season grasses have made the prospect of using these grasses in conjunction with saline irrigation water quite promising. These grasses are now being tested for their combined cold hardiness and salt tolerance under harsh high altitude climate conditions.
When funds are made available, usually through the New Mexico State Legislature, the NM WRRI supports the Student Water Research Grant Program. These awards support the training of New Mexico’s future water experts through grants to university students throughout the state for their water-related research projects.
Student Water Research Grants are intended to help students initiate research projects or to supplement existing student research projects in water resources research. Budgets typically include expenditures for student salaries, supplies, sample analysis costs, field equipment, travel to field sites, and travel to present results at professional meetings. Student grant recipients work under the guidance of a faculty advisor. During FY20, awards of up to $7,100 were made for typically one-year projects.
Full-time undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in any degree program at one of the eight New Mexico Public Education Institutions (New Mexico State University, University of New Mexico, New Mexico Tech, Eastern New Mexico University, Western New Mexico University, New Mexico Highlands University, Northern New Mexico College, and Diné College) are eligible to apply. The NM WRRI announces a Call for Proposals when grants will be available.
| Coming Soon | Final Report | Does Beaver Presence Increase Wildfire Resistance of Streams in New Mexico? | Ashlyn Reynolds, Biology, ENMU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Zachary Mitchell) | |
| August 2024 | Coming Soon | Water Quantity and Quality of Atmospheric Water Harvesting from Meteorological Variations in the Southwest | Matthew Russell, Water Resources and Center for Water and the Environment, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Anjali Mulchandani) | |
| July 2024 | Final Report | Monitoring of water quality, distance of flow, and biodiversity of Fairchild Spring at Oliver Lee State Park to engage Alamogordo youth education in water conservation | Sarah Cerra, Water Science and Management, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Manoj Shukla) | |
| June 2024 | Final Report | Reservoir Evaporation Prediction Under Climate Change Scenarios Using Artificial Intelligence in Predictive Modeling of Lake Evaporation in Caballo Reservoir, New Mexico, USA. | Thanushan Kirupairaja, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Salim Bawazir) | |
| May 2024 | Coming Soon | Developing of Colorimetric Detection Method for Cyanide in Water and Monitoring it in Water Samples of New Mexico | Enrique Martinez, Physical Sciences, ENMU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Md Mhahabubur Rhaman) | |
| April 2024 | Final Report | Evaluating Endocrine Disrupting Effects of Treated Produced Water on Human Cell Lines | Wijekoon Mudiyanselage Senuri Apeksha Wijekoon, Civil Engineering, NMSU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Yanyan Zhang) | |
| March 2024 | Final Report | Surfactant-Modified Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) for Adsorption of Mixtures of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Groundwater | Lin Wang, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Runwei Li) | |
| February 2024 | Final Report | Acid Rock Drainage and Metal Leaching Potential at the Jones Hill Deposit, Pecos, NM | Mary Frances Bibb, Natural Resources Management, NMHU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Lindline) | |
| January 2024 | Final Report | Impacts of Water Discharge and Flow Variations of the Rio Grande on Macroinvertebrate Abundance and Community Composition | Elizabeth Brock, Water Science and Management, NMSU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Wiebke Boeing) | |
| December 2023 | Final Report | Investigation the Relative Limitation by the Two Major Types of Drought on Dominant New Mexican Tree Species’ Water-Uptake and Carbon Sequestration Rates | Joshua Lopez-Binder, Biology, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Marcy Litvak) | |
| December 2023 | Final Report | Using Zebrafish as an animal model to evaluate PFAS-induced liver damage under the co-exposure of PFOA and HFPO-DA (GenX) | Yun Ma, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Runwei Li) | |
| November 2023 | Final Report | Comprehensive Toxicological Assessment of Raw and Treated Oilfield Produced Water Using the Zebrafish Model | Yeinner Mauricio Tarazona Montano, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Yanyan Zhang) | |
| October 2023 | Final Report | Crop Fertilizer Recovery from Produced Water | W.M. Lakma Kalpani Abeyratne, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. N. Nirmalakhandan) | |
| September 2023 | Final Report | Innovative Photocatalysts: Revolutionizing Clean Hydrogen Production through Alternative Water and Sunlight Photocatalytic Water Splitting | Tarek Ahasan, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Huiyao Wang) | |
| Coming Soon | Coming Soon | Historic Surface and Groundwater Depletion in Rincon Valley During the 1952 – 2022 Period | Adiam Weldemariam, Water Science and Management, NMSU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Hatim M.E. Geli) |
| July 2023 | Final Report | Rapid Response Monitoring of the Propagation of Wildfire Disturbances from the Hermit's Peak - Calf Canyon Fire along Gallinas Creek | Asmita Kaphle, Civil Engineering, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Ricardo González-Pinzón) | |
| Coming Soon | Coming Soon | The Impact of Air Treatment by Air- Filters with Differing Design Removal Efficiency and Filter Material Type on Atmospheric Water Harvest Water Quality in the Southwest United States | Alan (A.J.) Barney, Civil Engineering, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Anjali Mulchandani) | |
| June 2023 | Final Report | Assessment of Water Footprints of New Mexico Major Crops | Maria Begum, Water Science and Management Program, NMSU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Hatim M.E Geli) | |
| May 2023 | Final Report | Effects of catastrophic wildfire on stream macroinvertebrate communities in northern New Mexico | Jodie Montgomery, Biology, ENMU, BS (Advisor: Dr. Zachary Mitchell) | |
| April 2023 | Final Report | Characterizing the Effect of Salinity on PFAS Sorption to Hanford Sediment Using Column Experiments | Rachael Apodaca, Plant and Environmental Sciences, NMSU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Kenneth C. Carroll) | |
| March 2023 | Coming Soon | Low-Level Radionuclide Removal and Concentration from Water Using Waste-Derived Biochars and Adsorbent Combustion | Shermal Fernando, Chemical and Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Catherine Brewer) | |
| February 2023 | Final Report | Informing River Corridor Transport Modeling by Harnessing Community Data and Machine Learning | Paige Tunby, Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, UNM, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Ricardo González-Pinzón) | |
| January 2023 | Final Report | Influence of Seasonality on the Relative Importance of Abiotic and Biotic Factors in Determining Fish Survival in Isolated Pools in New Mexico | Brittany Pulcini, Biology, ENMU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Zachary Mitchell) | |
| December 2022 | Final Report | Reuse of Treated Municipal Wastewater in Drylands: A Multi-Sector Optimization Analysis | Tosin Olofinsao, Economics, UNM, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Jingjing Wang) | |
| November 2022 | Final Report | Environmental Fate of Sulfur in Sulphur Creek, Valles Caldera, NM: Implications for metal transport and water quality | Daniel Lavery, Earth and Planetary Science, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Laura Crossey) | |
| October 2022 | Final Report | Dynamic Fallowing in the Middle Rio Grande: A Look at the Environmental Water Leasing Program | Jared Wood, Community and Regional Planning and Water Resources, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Lani Tsinnajinnie) | |
| September 2022 | Final Report | Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Wastewater Sludges for Energy Resource Recovery | Carl L. Abadam, Civil Engineering, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Anjali Mulchandani) | |
| August 2022 | Final Report | Three Water Resource Management Tools for the Rio Grande Project: Characterization of Water Supply, Estimation of Diversion, and Incorporation of Stakeholder Input | Claudia Trueblood, Water Science and Management, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Soyoung Jeon) | |
| July 2022 | Not Available | Effects of turbidity on fish behavior and community structure in New Mexico rivers | Justin Schleusner, Biology, BS (Advisor: Dr. Zachary Mitchell) |
| April 2022 | Final Report | Wastewater treatment and water recycling through use of byproducts from hydrothermal liquefaction of food waste | Hengameh Bayat, Chemical and Material Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Catherine Brewer) | |
| March 2022 | Final Report | Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms Using Modified Clays | Wijayalath Kodige Nimasha Lakshani Abeykoon, Civil Engineering, NMSU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Yanyan Zhang) | |
| February 2022 | Final Report | Hydrogeochemical Analysis of Springs in the Cibola National Forest: Implications for Springs/Wetlands Sustainability & Geochemical Response to Forest Fire | Naomi T. Delay, Earth and Planetary Sciences, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Laura J. Crossey) | |
| January 2022 | Final Report | Sediment Transport Management in New Mexico’s Water Systems Using CFD Platform Flow 3-D Code | Saman Mostafazadeh-Fard, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Zohrab Samani) | |
| December 2021 | Final Report | Occupancy and detection of Rio Grande cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi) on the Pecos River | Laramie Mahan, Biology, ENMU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Ivana Mali) | |
| November 2021 | Final Report | Template Report Format | A Comparative Overview of Legal Frameworks and Conflict Resolution Mechanisms in the Nile and Rio Grande Basins | Stephen D. Earsom, School of Law, UNM, JD (Advisor: Dr. Adrian Oglesby) |
| October 2021 | Final Report | Determination of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in groundwater around the WIPP site | Rong He, Chemical and Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD (Advisor: Dr. Meng Zhou) | |
| September 2021 | Final Report | Nesting Ecology of the Rio Grande Cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi) on the Black River, New Mexico | Francisco Rodriguez, Biology, ENMU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Ivana Mali) | |
| August 2021 | Final Report | Quantifying groundwater to surface water exchanges in the Belen reach of the MRGCD | Ethan Williams, NMT, (Advisor: Dr. Alex Rinehart) | |
| July 2021 | Final Report | Living with Water-Insecurity: How do people adapt and cope with poor water quality and access? | Hailey Taylor, Anthropology, NMSU, MS (Advisor: Dr. Kathryn Olszowy) | |
| June 2021 | Final Report | Techno-Economic Analysis to Determine Cost of Atmospheric Water Capture Technologies | Natalie Gayoso, Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, UNM, MS (Advisor: Dr. Anjali Mulchandani) |
| January 2021 | Final Report | Improving Continuous Sediment Monitoring in an Ephemeral Arroyo in Central NM | Kyle Stark, Earth and Environmental Science, NMT, PhD; (Dr. Daniel Cadol) |
| February 2021 | Final Report | The effect of concentration and composition on PFAS adsorption at air-water interface | Zahra Abbasian, Chemical & Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Reza Foudazi) |
| March 2021 | Final Report | Water Quality Monitoring of the Upper Pecos River; Protecting the Pecos with Baseline Data | Megan Begay, Natural Resources Management, NMHU, BS; (Dr. Jennifer Lindline) |
| March 2021 | Final Report | Solar reforming of microplastics in water for H2 production and degradation using nanocomposite photocatalysts | Thiloka Edirisooriya, Civil Engineering, NMSU, MS; (Dr. Huiyao Wang) |
| April 2021 | Final Report | Recovery of Rare Earth Elements and Potable Water from Produced Water | Lin Chen, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Frank Ramos) |
| April 2021 | Final Report | Evaluating Soil Lead Bioavailability in Agricultural Fields across Animas Watershed | Bianca Wright, Plant & Environmental Science, NMSU, BS; (Dr. April Ulery) |
| May 2021 | Final Report | Assessment of the cyanobacterial Harmful Algal Blooms (cHABs) and toxins in the blooming water bodies of New Mexico | Sergei Shalygin, Plant & Environmental Science, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. F. Omar Holguin) |
| May 2021 | Final Report | Improving Green Water Use Proportion in a Center Pivot Irrigation System by Using Circular Grass Buffer Strips | Paramveer Singh,Plant & Environmental Science, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Sangu Angadi) |
| July 2020 | Final Report | Exploring surface water as the reservoir of CRE infecting patients in SE New Mexico | Kasandra Velarde, Biology, NMT, BS; (Dr. Linda DeVeaux) |
| August 2020 | Final Report | Bioderived PolyHIPE Hydrogels Designed for Improving Water Scarcity Solutions | Ryan Zowada, Chemical & Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Reza Foudazi) |
| August 2020 | Final Report | Development of The Navigator: A smart sensing system to characterize aquatic ecosystems | Aashish Khandelwal, Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, UNM, PhD; (Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon) |
| September 2020 | Final Report | Transport and biogeochemical controls on nutrient retention along stream corridors | Jancoba Dorley, Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, UNM, PhD; (Dr. Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon) |
| October 2020 | Final Report | Investigating the effects of flow on growth and survival of larval pelagic-spawning minnows of the Pecos River, NM | Richard Raymondi, Biology, ENMU, MS; (Dr. Jesse Filbrun) |
| November 2020 | Final Report | Evaluation of Heavy Metal Adsorption onto Microplastics | Jasmine Anne Quiambao, Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, UNM, MS; (Dr. Jorge Gonzalez Estrella) |
| December 2020 | Final Report | Environmental Chemistry of the Upper Pecos River; Understanding Natural and Anthropogenic Influences on Water Quality | Letisha Mailboy, Natural Resources Management, NMHU, BS; (Dr. Jennifer Lindline) |
| July 2020 | Final Report | Wastewater Treatment Using Food Waste Char Obtained from Hydrothermal Liquefaction as a Low-Cost Adsorbent Material | Hengameh Bayat, Chemical & Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Umakanta Jena) |
| June 2020 | Final Report | Surface Area of a Local Clay Material to Elucidate Uranium Abatement for Potable New Mexico Water Management | Moticha M. Franklin, Chemistry & Biochemistry, NMSU, BS; (Dr. Antonio S. Lara) |
| June 2020 | Final Report | Determine the Usefulness of Surface Water as a Proxy for Precipitation in a Semi-Arid, Mountainous Environment | Victoria Blumenberg, Animal & Range Sciences, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Michaela Buenemann) |
| May 2020 | Final Report | Modeling Rainfall-Runoff Relationships in Conjunction with Sediment Transport Measurements in Ephemeral Channels | Madeline Richards, Earth & Environmental Sciences, NM Tech, MS; (Dr. Daniel Cadol) |
| May 2020 | Final Report | Assessment of Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) Formation in Algae-Treated Wastewater for Safer Reuse in Unrestricted Applications | Srimali Preethika Munasinghe-Arachchige, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Nirmalakhandan) |
| April 2020 | Final Report | Herbicide Phytotoxicity Under Drought Conditions in Warm and Cool Season Turfgrass | Jackson Powers, Plant & Environmental Sciences, NMSU, MS; (Dr. Ryan Goss) |
| April 2020 | Final Report | Wasterwater-Treatment Algae-Derived Hydrochar for Heavy Metal Adsorption and Recycling | Jiuling Yu, Chemical & Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Hongmei Luo) |
| March 2020 | Final Report | Domestic Wastewater Treatment Using Algal Systems in Winter Climate | Isuru Sachitra Abeysiriwardana Arachchige, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Nirmalakhandan) |
| February 2020 | Final Report | Tracking CRE in the Rio Grande: Determining Correlation Between the Appearance of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Surface Waters and Local Infection Rates | Kimberly McNair, Biology, NM Tech, MS; (Dr. Linda DeVeaux) |
| January 2020 | Final Report | Monitoring Toxic Metal Uptake by Corn Grown in Agricultural Fields Across Animas and San Juan Rivers | Michael Whiting (Gaurav Jha, student mentor), Geology, NMSU, MS; (Dr. April Ulery) |
| December 2019 | Final Report | Design of Optimized Produced Water Treatment Units for the Agricultural Irrigation | Muchu Zhou, Chemical & Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Reza Foudazi) |
| November 2019 | Final Report | Electrochemical-Assisted Ultrafiltration Membranes for Simultaneous Removal of As, Cd and Cr | Alireza Bandegi, Chemical & Materials Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Reza Foudazi) |
| October 2019 | Not Available | A Survey: New Mexicans’ Willingness to Pay for Produced Water Treatment for Beneficial Re-Use | Alyssa Latuchie, Economics, UNM, PhD; (Dr. Janie Chermak) |
| September 2019 | Final Report | Enhanced Water Recovery and Membrane Scaling Mitigation for Desalination Using Innovative Electromagnetic Field (EMF) and 3D Printed Open Flow Channel Membranes | Juliano Penteado de Almeida, Civil Engineering, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Pei Xu) |
| August 2019 | Final Report | Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment of the Rio Mora at the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge, Mora County, NM | Johnson Adio, Natural Resources Management, NMHU, MS; (Dr. Jennifer Lindline) |
| Not Available | Final Report | Developing a 2/3D Model for Improving Fertigation Scheduling Under Salinity Stress for Pecan | Esmaiil Mokari, Plant & Environmental Sciences, NMSU, PhD; (Dr. Manoj Shukla) |
| July 2019 | Final Report | Recyclable monolithic aerogels as efficient adsorbents for chromium VI removal from rural ground-water resources | Zahra Abbasian, NMSU, PhD student (Reza Foudazi) |
| June 2019 | Final Report | Energy and Nutrient Recovery from Co-Solvent Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Wastewater-Grown Algae | Zheng Cui, NMSU, PhD student (Catherine Brewer) |
| May 2019 | Final Report | Hydroelectric management on the Rio Chama: examining costs and benefits from nonconsumptive flow management between the El Vado and Abiquiu reservoirs | Suzanne Stradling, UNM, PhD student (Janie Chermak) |
| May 2019 | Final Report | Herbicide Phytotoxicity Under Drought Conditions in Warm and Cool Season Turfgrass | Jackson Powers, NMSU, master’s student (Ryan Goss) |
| April 2019 | Final Report | Ecological responses in a river with more and less water: a case study of the highly managed Chama River, New Mexico” | Monika Hobbs, UNM, master’s program (Rebecca Bixby) |
| April 2019 | Final Report | Optimizing fertilizer application and leaching under abiotic stresses within and below the Root Zone of Pecan Orchards” | Esmaiil Mokarighahroodi, NMSU, PhD student (Manoj Shukla) |
| March 2019 | Final Report | Surface Water Quality Implications of Valles Caldera Geothermal Fluids on Jemez Watershed: A Holistic Hydrogeochemical Investigation | Jon K. Golla, UNM, master’s student (Laura J. Crossey) |
| March 2019 | Final Report | Speciation of metal(loids) in agricultural field soils impacted by Animas/San Juan River after the 2015 Gold King Mine Spill | Gaurav Jha, NMSU, PhD student (April Ulery) |
| February 2019 | Final Report | Recovery of Ammonium and Magnesium from Produced Water by Struvite Precipitation | Lei Hu, NMSU, PhD student (Yanyan Zhang) |
| February 2019 | Final Report | Preparing a sediment monitoring station on an ephemeral channel for summer monsoon flows | Kyle Stark, NM Tech, master’s student (Daniel Cadol) |
| January 2019 | Final Report | Gold King Mine Spill: Contaminant Removal of San Juan County Rivers via Phytoremediation | Jason Fechner, NMSU, bachelor’s student (April Ulery) |
| January 2019 | Final Report | Monitoring basking activity and assessing water conditions in relation to basking of Rio Grande cooters along the Black River | Thanchira Suriyamongkol, ENMU, master’s student (Ivana Mali) |
| December 2018 | Final Report | Developing new strategies to mitigate antimicrobial resistance for safe water reuse | Xiaoxiao Cheng, NMSU, PhD student (Yanyan Zhang) |
| November 2018 | Final Report | Water Reuse and Desalination with Self-cleaning Photocatalytic Membrane Distillation | Lin Chen, NMSU, PhD student (Pei Xu) |
| November 2018 | Final Report | Mineralogical and Kinetic Considerations for Uranium Leaching | Alexandra Pearce, NM Tech, PhD student (Kierran Maher) |
| October 2018 | Final Report | Historic and Ancient Ditch Irrigation Inform Current Systems: A Cross Cultural Comparison from Creekside Village of Tularosa, New Mexico | Christine Gilbertson, ENMU, master’s student (John Montgomery) |
| September 2018 | Final Report | The Everyday Politics of Irrigated Agriculture and an Uncertain Future | Holly Brause, UNM, PhD student (David Dinwoodie) |
| September 2018 | Final Report | An efficient forecasting of hydrologic extremes under climate change | Khandaker Islam, NMSU, PhD student (Christopher Brown) |
| August 2018 | Final Report | Potable Water Recovery Through Energy Efficient Algal Wastewater Treatment and Hybrid Membrane Processes | Chathurika Bandara, NMSU, PhD student (Nirmala Khandan) |
| July 2018 | Final Report | Antibiotic resistance in wastewater treatment: the effects of different treatment methods on the differential survival of antibiotic resistant pathogens over non-resistant bacteria through the treatment process of two different wastewater treatment plants | Angelica Cave, NM Tech, master’s student (Linda DeVeaux) |
| June 2018 | Final Report | Further Investigation of the Complex Hydrology at La Cienega, Santa Fe County, NM | Ryan Mann, NMHU, master’s degree (Jennifer Lindline) |
| January 2018 | Final Report | Pore-Scale Transport of Strontium and Chromate During Dynamic Water Content Changes in the Unsaturated Zone | William Weaver (Lambis Papelis) NMSU, Civil Engineering, PhD |
| December 2017 | Final Report | Spatial prediction of soil hydraulic properties accounting for variable wildfire burn severity, Valles Caldera, New Mexico | Michael Wine (Daniel Cadol) NMTech, Earth & Environmental Science, Hydrology, PhD |
| November 2017 | Final Report | Monitoring water quality parameters within a known range of Western River Cooters (Pseudemys gorzugi) within Black River Drainage | Andrew Letter (Ivana Mali) NSMU, Geography, MS |
| October 2017 | Final Report | Solar Energy Assisted Water Purification: Incorporation of an Environmentally Benign Porous Graphitized Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4) photocatalyst with Graphitized Polyacrylonitrile (g-PAN) for Efficient Oxidation of Toxic Arsenite [As(III)] | Stephanie Richins (Hongmai Luo) NMSU, Chemical and Materials Engineering, BS |
| September 2017 | Final Report | A lab and pilot scale comparison of attached growth and suspended culture for the algal remediation of arsenic from water | Chase Stearnes (Andrew Schuler) UNM, Civil Engineering, BS |
| September 2017 | Final Report | Gila National Forest Stream Temperature and Intermittency Monitoring Network for Species of Special Interest | Tyler Wallin (Colleen Caldwell) NMSU, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, MS |
| August 2017 | Final Report | Effects of NRCS and BLM Conservation Practices on Plant and Soil Biological Communities and Hydrologic Processes in the Rio Puerco Watershed | Jeremy Schallner (Amy Ganguli) NMSU, Animal and Range Sciences, MS |
| July 2017 | Final Report | Post Wildfire Geomorphic and Hydrological Effects in the Upper Santa Fe Municipal Watershed | Manuel Lopez (Daniel Dugas) ENMU, Biology, MS |
| July 2017 | Final Report | Investigation of soil composition from burned areas affecting water quality changes following wildfires | Amanda Otieno (Rebecca Bixby) UNM, Biology/Water Resources Program, MS |
| June 2017 | Final Report | Developing the Water-Budget and Calculating the Recharge for the Mesilla Bolson Aquifer | Pooneh Pahlavani (Zohrab Samani) NMSU, Civil Engineering, MS |
| May 2017 | Final Report | San Jose Mining District Groundwater Investigation | Moticha Yellowman, Antonio Lara, Dennis McQuillan |
| March 2017 | Final Report | Integrated geological, geophysical, and hydrological study of field-scale fault-zone cementation and permeability | Johnny Hinojosa (Peter Mozley) NMTech, Earth and Environmental Science, MS |
| Februrary 2017 | Final Report | Economic Impact of Water Conservation, Storage Capacity Development, and Crop Diversity in the Tucumcari Project of East-Central New Mexico | Befekadu Habteyes (Frank Ward) NMSU, Ag Economics and Ag Business, PhD |
| Februrary 2017 | Final Report | Is there a relationship between tree canopy cover change on the landscape and the discharge of Gallinas Creek through time (from 1939 to 2015) in Las Vegas, NM? | Behnaz Yekkeh (Edward Martinez) NMHU, Natural Resource Management, MS |
| November 2016 | Final Report | Characterization of Pathogenic Bacterial Regrowth and Impairment Potential along the Rio Grande near Albuquerque | James Fluke (Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon) UNM, Civil Engineering, MS |
| Not Available | Final Report | Improved Meteorological Infrastructure for Water Management in the Middle and Lower Rio Grande, New Mexico | Garrett Gibson (Salim Bawazir) NMSU, Civil Engineering, BS |
| Not Available | Final Report | Uranium Abatement for Contaminated, Limited Water Resources Using Clay Pellets | Nhat Nguyen (Antonio Lara) NMSU, Chemistry and Biochemistry, BS/BA |
| November 2016 | Final Report | Characterization of Pathogenic Bacterial Regrowth and Impairment Potential along the Rio Grande near Albuquerque | James Fluke (Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon) UNM, Civil Engineering, MS |
| Final Report | Improved Meteorological Infrastructure for Water Management in the Middle and Lower Rio Grande, New Mexico | Garrett Gibson (Salim Bawazir) NMSU, Civil Engineering, BS | |
| February 2017 | Final Report | Economic Impact of Water Conservation, Storage Capacity Development, and Crop Diversity in the Tucumcari Project of East-Central New Mexico | Befekadu Habteyes (Frank Ward) NMSU, Ag Economics and Ag Business, PhD |
| March 2017 | Final Report | Integrated geological, geophysical, and hydrological study of field-scale fault-zone cementation and permeability | Johnny Hinojosa (Peter Mozley) NMTech, Earth and Environmental Science, MS |
| November 2017 | Final Report | Monitoring water quality parameters within a known range of Western River Cooters (Pseudemys gorzugi) within Black River Drainage | Andrew Letter (Ivana Mali) NSMU, Geography, MS |
| July 2017 | Final Report | Post Wildfire Geomorphic and Hydrological Effects in the Upper Santa Fe Municipal Watershed | Manuel Lopez (Daniel Dugas) ENMU, Biology, MS |
| Final Report | Uranium Abatement for Contaminated, Limited Water Resources Using Clay Pellets | Nhat Nguyen (Antonio Lara) NMSU, Chemistry and Biochemistry, BS/BA | |
| July 2017 | Final Report | Investigation of soil composition from burned areas affecting water quality changes following wildfires | Amanda Otieno (Rebecca Bixby) UNM, Biology/Water Resources Program, MS |
| June 2017 | Final Report | Developing the Water-Budget and Calculating the Recharge for the Mesilla Bolson Aquifer | Pooneh Pahlavani (Zohrab Samani) NMSU, Civil Engineering, MS |
| October 2017 | Final Report | Solar Energy Assisted Water Purification: Incorporation of an Environmentally Benign Porous Graphitized Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4) photocatalyst with Graphitized Polyacrylonitrile (g-PAN) for Efficient Oxidation of Toxic Arsenite [As(III)] | Stephanie Richins (Hongmai Luo) NMSU, Chemical and Materials Engineering, BS |
| August 2017 | Final Report | Effects of NRCS and BLM Conservation Practices on Plant and Soil Biological Communities and Hydrologic Processes in the Rio Puerco Watershed | Jeremy Schallner (Amy Ganguli) NMSU, Animal and Range Sciences, MS |
| September 2017 | Final Report | A lab and pilot scale comparison of attached growth and suspended culture for the algal remediation of arsenic from water | Chase Stearnes (Andrew Schuler) UNM, Civil Engineering, BS |
| September 2017 | Final Report | Gila National Forest Stream Temperature and Intermittency Monitoring Network for Species of Special Interest | Tyler Wallin (Colleen Caldwell) NMSU, Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Ecology, MS |
| January 2018 | Final Report | Pore-Scale Transport of Strontium and Chromate During Dynamic Water Content Changes in the Unsaturated Zone | William Weaver (Lambis Papelis) NMSU, Civil Engineering, PhD |
| December 2017 | Final Report | Spatial prediction of soil hydraulic properties accounting for variable wildfire burn severity, Valles Caldera, New Mexico | Michael Wine (Daniel Cadol) NMTech, Earth & Environmental Science, Hydrology, PhD |
| February 2017 | Final Report | Is there a relationship between tree canopy cover change on the landscape and the discharge of Gallinas Creek through time (from 1939 to 2015) in Las Vegas, NM? | Behnaz Yekkeh (Edward Martinez) NMHU, Natural Resource Management, MS |
| May 2017 | Final Report | San Jose Mining District Groundwater Investigation | Moticha Yellowman Antonio Lara Dennis McQuillan |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Real Time Monitoring of Flood Control Dams for Emergency Action Management | Abdullah Alazmi, Dennis Felipe Jr, Reynold Durden, Malcolm Braughton, Paul Candelaria, Seth Davis, NMSU, Bachelor’s and master’s students (Dr. J. Phillip King) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Cost‐efficient detection of endocrine‐disrupting compounds in drinking water | Maxwell Baymiller, NM Tech, undergraduate student (Dr. Snezna Rogelj) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Evaluation of Impacts of Silvicultural Operations such as Thinning Treatments on Water Quality and Quantity in New Mexico Forests | Onur Beyazoglu and Yasser Almalki, NMSU, master’s students (Dr. Owen Burney) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Temporal analysis of non‐snow fed streams in New Mexico | Fawn Brooks, UNM, PhD student (Dr. David Gutzler) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Test of the new LAS MkII Scintillometer for validation of statewide New Mexico evapotranspiration maps | Reid Brown, NM Tech, master’s student, (Dr. Jan Hendrickx) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | The Detection of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria (ARB) in the Gallinas River | Laurel Carr, master’s student (Dr. Ben Nelson) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Fire ash influences on aquatic primary producers through changes in water quality | Alexander Clark, UNM, undergraduate student, (Dr. Rebecca Bixby) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Evaluating the Impacts of Particulate Matter Deposition on Snow Melt Processes in the Upper Rio Grande, NM | Angela Gregory, UNM, PhD student (Dr. Mark Stone) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Development of a Bio‐indicator to Assess Water Quality in Ephemeral Ponds | Rebekah Horn, NMSU, PhD student, (Dr. David Cowley) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Enhanced Photocatalysis for Water Purification and Disinfection using Optical Fibers Coated with Nanocomposite Thin Films | Lu Lin, NMSU, MS/PhD student (Dr. Pei Xu) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Linking Forests to Faucets: Investigating Alternative Approaches for Securing Long‐Term Funding for Watershed Restoration in New Mexico | Edward McCorkindale, UNM, master’s student, (Dr. Robert Berrens) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Effects of Turbidity on Group Cohesion in Sand Shiners and Red Shiners from the Pecos River in New Mexico | Sabrina Michael, ENMU, master’s student, (Dr. Marv Lutnesky) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Submerged Aquatic Macrophytes – Ecosystem Engineers in New Mexico Mountain Streams – Effects of Forest Fire | Virginia Thompson, UNM, PhD student, (Dr. Clifford Dahm) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Water Politics and Cultural Difference: Fostering Community Relationships to Promote Environmental Health and Community Wellbeing in Times of Drought | Elise Trott, UNM, PhD student (Dr. Erin Debenport) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Assessment of Water Quality in the Irrigation Drainage Canals as a Source of Reusable Irrigation Water | Kai Williams, NMSU, master’s student, (Dr. Salim Bawazir) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Application of HydroGeoSphere to model climate change effects on three‐dimensional hydrological processes in the Valles Caldera, New Mexico | Michael Wine, NM Tech, PhD student, (Dr. Daniel Cadol) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Investigation of Improved Operational Streamflow Forecasting in the Rio Grande Basin | Shalamu Abudu, Civil Engineering (advisor: J. Phillip King), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | The Dependency of Anomalous Transport Behavior on Flow Path Orientation | Nicholas B Engdahl, Earth and Planetary Sciences (advisor: Gary S. Weissmann), University of New Mexico. |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Evaluation of Multi-stage solar-powered desalination system | Akash Mummaneni, Civil Engineering (advisor: N. Nirmala Khandan), New Mexico State University. |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Aqueous Geochemistry of the Springs and Wells of the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge: Evaluating Hydrochemical Pathways and Microbiology | Amy J. Williams, Earth & Planetary Sciences (advisor: Laura Crossey), University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Residence Time Distribution in Dynamically Changing Hydrologic Systems | Jesus D. Gomez, Earth and Environmental Sciences, (advisor: John L. Wilson), New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Composite Membrane for Membrane Distillation Desalination Process | Sai Reddy Pinappu, Chemical Engineering (advisor: Shuguang Deng), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | -- | Updating the Groundwater Flow Model for the Southern Jornada Del Muerto Basin – Implementing Reviewers Comments | B. V. N. P. Kambhammettu, Civil Engineering (advisor: J. Phillip King), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Assessment of a novel source-tracking protocol for evaluating the significance of municipal wastewater sources on the microbial contaminant levels of discharged wastewaters | Jesus Sigala, Plant and Environmental Science (advisor: Adrian Unc), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | -- | Effects of Copper Sulfate Treatment on Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Peterson Reservoir Sediments | Daryl Williams, Natural Sciences (advisor: Edward A. Martinez), New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Uranium Abatement in Water | Nicholas G. Beltran, Biology (advisor: Antonio S. Lara), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | -- | Removal of Arsenic from Aqueous solution using activated carbon prepared from Pecan shells | Ranganath Potluri, Chemical Engineering (advisor: David Roskstraw), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | From Stormwater Management to Stormwater Integration: The Use of Low Impact Development Techniques in the Albuquerque Region | KT LaBadie, Water Resources Program and Community and Regional Planning Program (advisor: Bill Fleming), University of New Mexico. |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Feasibility Study of Wastewater Purification by Low Temperature Distillation Method | Veera Gnaneswar Gude, Civil Engineering Department (advisor: Nirmala Khandan), New Mexico State University. |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Arsenic Adsorption and Desorption in Storrie Lake Sediments | Celestine Ngam, Department of Natural Sciences (advisor: Michael Meyer), New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | New Mexico Water Rights Prices Database Development | Shawn Landfair, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business Department (advisor: Frank Ward), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | New Mexico State University Estimating Evaporation from Elephant Butte Reservoir with the Monin Obukhov Simularity Theory Using Simple Instrumentation | Jimmy Moreno, Civil Engineering Department (advisor: A. Salim Bawazir) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Iron(II) Oxidation in New Mexico Waters: Experimental Development of a Molecular-Level Predictive Model | Andrea Higdon, Department of Chemistry (advisor: Michael Pullin), New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Drinking Water Purification for U.S.A.-Mexico Border Region | Arely A. Torres, Chemical Engineering Department (advisor: Shuguang Deng), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Land Application of Wastewater Containing Arsenic: Impacts on the Sorption and Mobility of Arsenic in Soil | Sylvia Nemmers, Plant and Environmental Sciences (advisor: April Ulery), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Carbon Nanotube-Based Biosensor for Pathogens Concentration and Detection | Dipendu Saha, Chemical Engineering Department (advisor: Shuguang Deng), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | New Mexico Highlands University, Bioassessment of Arsenic Contamination of the Gallinas River Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates | Bildad Eta Eyong, Department of Natural Sciences (advisor: Edward Martinez) |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | The Effects of Acequias and Riparian Evapotranspiration on the Rio Grande Flow Levels | Ciara Cusack, Animal and Range Sciences (advisor: Sam Fernald), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Investigating Potential Salt Contamination of Aquifers from Irrigated Landscapes | Elena Sevostianova, Plant and Environmental Sciences (advisor: Bernd Leinauer), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Characterization of Heavy Metal Binding by Functional Groups Found in Biomaterials | Jesus Q. Cantu, Department of Physics (advisor: Jacob Urquidi), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Community and Ecosystem Effects of a Nonnative Fish in Refugia in an Intermittent Stream: Implications for Native Fish Restoration | Ryan McShane, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Sciences (advisor: David Cowley), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Relating Fish Abundance and Condition to Environmental Factors in Desert Sinkholes | Kristin Swaim, Department of Fishery and Wildlife Sciences (advisor: Wiebke J. Boeing), New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | The Effects of Eutrophication on the Structure and Function of Stream Biofilms | David J. VanHorn, Department of Biology (advisor: Clifford Dahm), University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Experimental and Numerical Modeling Analysis of Arsenic-sulfide Precipitation in Groundwater Environments | Matthew F. Kirk, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (advisor: Laura Crossey), University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | The Influence of Predator Detection on Life History Strategies in DAPHNIA | Irene M. Roselli, Department of Biology (advisor: Marvin M.F. Lutnesky), Eastern New Mexico University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | The Influence of Larval Culiseta sp. (Diptera: Culicidae) on Behavior and Growth Rate of Tadpole Shrimp Triops longicaudatus (LeConte) (Notostraca: Triopsidae) | Nicole M. Harings, Department of Biology, (advisor: Marvin M.F. Lutnesky), Eastern New Mexico University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Determination of Heavy Metal Distribution in the Gallinas River Using Aquatic Macrophytes | Chemanji Shu-Nyamboli and Joel Lowry, Department of Natural Sciences (advisor: Edward A. Martinez), New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | -- | Uranium and Heavy Metals in Macroinvertebrates in the Santa Fe River on the Cochiti Reservation | Carlos R. Herrera, Department of Natural Sciences (advisor: Michael L. Meyer), New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Runoff Processes and the Evolution of Water Chemistry in the Saguache Creek Watershed of the Upper Rio Grande | Marty D. Frisbee, Department of Earth and Environmental Science (advisor: Fred Phillips), New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Use of Remotely Sensed Observations for Improved Distributed Hydrological Modeling in the Jemez River Basin | Taufique Mahmood, Department of Earth and Environmental Science (advisor: Enrique Vivoni), New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Multi-disciplinary Analysis of a New Mexico Cold Water Tufa Spring Mound | Katrina Koski, Department of Earth and Environmental Science (advisor: Penelope J. Boston), New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Cattails and Ostracodes: An Investigation of Prehistoric Water Management in the Chupadera Arroyo Basin, Central New Mexico | Monica L. (Enke) Murrell; Department of Anthropology and Applied Archaeology, Eastern New Mexico University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Groundwater Quality and Well Water Assessment in Las Vegas New Mexico Area | Joel Lowry and Simone-Camille Yelah Tar; Department of Natural Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Surveying Health Risks Associated with Arsenic in the Gallinas Watershed | Justin Johns-Kaysing; Department of Natural Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Riparian Evapotranspiration Estimates on the Middle Rio Grande Using Remote Sensing | Maritza A. Macias-Corral; Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Modeling of Mass and Heat Transport in Membrane Distillation Process for Brackish Water Desalination | Prajwal Vikram; Department of Chemical Engineering, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Soil Recovery After Herbicide Treatment of Saltcedar Stands and Management Implications | Cheryl Rosel; Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Rapid Detection of Human Fecal Contamination Using sIgA as an Indicator | Jessica Hamel; Department of Microbiology and Biology, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Numerical Modeling Investigation of Fluid Flow Above and Below Sediment-Water Interfaces | Meinhard Bayani R. Cardenas; Department of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Hydrometeorological Field Studies During the North American Monsoon in the Valles Caldera National Preserve | Alex J. Rinehart; Department of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Investigation of Transpiration Water Loss from Pinyon-Juniper Forests | Sue White; Department of Environmental Engineering, New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Water Quality Along the Middle Rio Grande of New Mexico | Lydia Zeglin; Department of Biology, University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Mycorrhizal Colonization in Cottonwood and Salt Cedar Stands Along the Middle Rio Grande: Implications for Water Quality and Water Consumption | Jennifer Follstad Shah; Department of Biology, University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Human Impacts on Nitrate Dynamics in Hyporheic Sediments Using a Stable Isotope Tracer | Chelsea Crenshaw; Department of Biology, University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Escherichia coli Source Tracking by DNA Fingerprinting in Diverse Watersheds of Northern New Mexico | Greg M. Huey, Department of Natural Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Using Natural Tracers to Improve Estimates of Groundwater Recharge Resulting from Snowmelt | Sam Earman, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Tech |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Water Quality Assessment in the Gallinas Watershed, Las Vegas, New Mexico | Thomas Evans, Environmental Geology Program, Department of Natural Sciences, New Mexico Highlands University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Under What Conditions are Salinity-gradient Solar Ponds Cost-effective as a Source of Heat and/or Electricity for Desalination of Brackish Groundwater? | Robin A. Foldager, Environmental Science, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Prehistoric Water Management in the American Southwest | Stacy K. Galassini, Department of Anthropology and Applied Archaeology, Eastern New Mexico University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Mapping Lake Evaporation Using Satellite Imagery | Alex Herting, Tim Farmer, and Jordan Evans; Department of Civil and Geological Engineering, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | The Fate of Pharmaceutically Active Drugs in the Rio Grande and Groundwater | Maceo Carrillo Martinet, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Can Non-Potable Saline Groundwater Be Used for Turfgrass Irrigation? | Casey Johnson, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Identification of Membrane Foulants in Natural Waters | Khalid Mehboob, Department of Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Effects of Gender and Predation Risk on Depth Choice in the Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis | Tony Spitzack, Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Effects of Burning and Thinning on Forest Hydrology | Anthony Madrid, Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Geochemistry of Rio Grande Rift Travertine Depositing Springs: Implications for Rio Grande Valley Water | Dennis L. Newell, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico |
| Project Abstract | Final Report | Climate, Land-use Change, and Hydrologic Response: Modeling the Rio Puerco Basin | Robert W Wyckoff, Earth and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico Tech |
Principal investigators (PIs) of research projects sponsored by the Institute are required to follow certain procedural and editorial guidelines. These guidelines allow the Institute to fulfill its obligations to federal, state, and various other sponsors. A copy of the guidelines in .pdf format is available via the link below:
The Institute’s primary objective is to maintain a balanced program of research that addresses water problems critical to New Mexico, the Southwest, and the nation. The Institute’s major program guidance comes from its Program Development and Review Board, composed of representatives of the USGS, state government, each of the major doctoral-granting state universities, and the Institute.
The program uses two approaches:
New Mexico State University MSC 3167,
PO Box 30001 Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
(575) 646-4337
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