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The El Paso/Juarez Water Crisis

The El Paso/Juarez Water Crisis. Daniel Fass Josh Shainin. Chapter 14, Question 5. Investigate the development of policy to manage internationally shared water resources, specifically in the Rio Grande between El Paso and Juarez. The Situation. …just the facts. The Situation. Hueco Bolson

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The El Paso/Juarez Water Crisis

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  1. The El Paso/Juarez Water Crisis Daniel Fass Josh Shainin

  2. Chapter 14, Question 5 Investigate the development of policy to manage internationally shared water resources, specifically in the Rio Grande between El Paso and Juarez

  3. The Situation …just the facts

  4. The Situation • Hueco Bolson • Rio Grande River • Other Water Sources • Mesilla Aquifer • Population Explosion

  5. Hueco Bolson

  6. Importance of the Hueco Bolson • Major Supply of Water for Juarez • Juarez could run out of Hueco water in as few as 5 years • 40% of Supply of Water for El Paso • El Paso could run out of Hueco water in as few as 20 years

  7. The Rio Grande River

  8. The Rio Grande River • Rio Grande not a reliable source of water, due to droughts • Only 60,000 acre-ft./yr. (19.55 billion gallons) of Rio Grande water given to Juarez • All Rio Grande water given to Juarez controlled by farmers • Rio Grande is 40% of El Paso’s water supply • El Paso currently working on ways to treat and store water from the Rio Grande

  9. Population Explosion • Number of people in Juarez has doubled since NAFTA • Maquiladora industry dominating Juarez • 251,740 people estimated to be employed in Maquiladora industry

  10. Water Usage Stats • 3.0689 acre-ft. = 1 million gallons • Water Demand in 1994 (El Paso/Juarez region): • 180,000 acre-ft./yr. (58,653,000,000 gallons) • Water Demand in 2000 (El Paso/Juarez region): • 509,426 acre-ft./yr. (165,996,000,000 gallons)

  11. Situation Summary • Two major sources of water for El Paso/Juarez • Hueco Bolson • Rio Grande River • Population is rapidly expanding • NAFTA and increased industry in Juarez most significant cause of population explosion

  12. The Solutions …efficiency vs. equity

  13. The Solutions • Efficiency vs. Equity • Water Conservation • Future Solutions • Future Water Sources • Antelope Valley • Future Water Treatment

  14. Efficiency and Equity • We can’t be both efficient and equitable at same time • We can use water in an efficient manner, which maximizes economic efficiency, but will make the water available to everybody in a disproportionate manner, making it an inequitable solution • We can conserve water and make sure everybody has access to water who needs it, which really hurts efficiency and output.

  15. Efficiency and Equity

  16. Water Conservation • Only delays the problem of water shortage in the future, but increases time before action must be taken • If population and water needs could be controlled, this solution alone could sustain the El Paso/Juarez region and become a reasonable solution to the problem • Three types of conservation: Voluntary, Forced, and Incentive-based.

  17. Results of Water Conservation • 1 Billion Gallons (3,068 acre-ft.) of water conserved in El Paso last year • Voluntary: Showerhead replacement program • Incentive-based: Low-flush toilets, water-efficient washing machines, refrigerated air conditioners over water coolers • Forced: Outdoor watering restrictions

  18. Future Solutions • Assuming population, water needs, and other trends continue to grow as they currently are, other solutions beside water conservation will be needed to sustain the appropriate water level for El Paso/Juarez • Water Treatment would be expensive and take many years to complete, but would treat and store over a year’s worth of water from the Rio Grande • New Water Sources are available to El Paso, including the Antelope Valley resource, which could be initiated first

  19. Conclusions • Water conservation has been working in El Paso, and should still be pursued, to reduce the strain on water supply, but as long as population and water needs continue to grow in the region, water conservation is only delaying the water shortage problem • We can either be efficient and allocate water away from people who can’t afford it and give it to the big, multimillion dollar industries, or everyone can conserve and share the water, hindering economic development

  20. Acknowledgements • Professor David S. Brookshire (“Borders Crossing Borders: Efficiency and Equity Considerations of Groundwater Markets in the Ciudad Juárez/El Paso Region Along the Mexico/United States Border”) • US Water News (http://www.uswaternews.com/archives/) • David Ogden-Tamez (”Water: A Growing Concern in The Border's Desert Communities”) • Megan Lardner (”El Paso: Draining Hueco Bolson”) • “Transboundary Aquifers of the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez/Las Cruces Region” • NWF (http://www.nwf.org/texaswaterforwildlife/farwesttexas.html)

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