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New Mexico Water Science Center

Welcome to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) website for the New Mexico Water Science Center; this is your direct link to water-resource information. This site provides data and information on New Mexico's rivers and streams, groundwater, water quality, and many other water-related topics.

 

News

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Future Peak Flow Along Rio Grande May Arrive Early Due to Climate Change

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Pesticides and their degradation products common in groundwater but at low concentrations unlikely to be human-health concern

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USGS Unveils Mobile Flood Tool for the Nation

Publications

Regression equations for estimating the 4-day, 3-year low-flow frequency and adjusted harmonic mean streamflow at ungaged sites for unregulated, perennial streams in New Mexico

The Federal Clean Water Act stipulates that States adopt water-quality standards to protect and enhance the quality of water in those States and to protect water quality through the creation of planning documents and discharge permits. Critical low-flow values, including the 4-day, 3-year low-flow frequency (4Q3) and harmonic mean streamflows, are necessary for developing those planning documents
Authors
Meghan T. Bell, Anne C. Tillery

Anthropogenic influence on groundwater geochemistry in Horn Creek Watershed near the Orphan Mine in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA

Breccia pipe deposits of the Grand Canyon region contain ore grade copper and uranium. Horn Creek is located near the Orphan Mine mineralized breccia pipe deposit and groundwater emerging from the bedrock in the headwaters of Horn Creek has the highest uranium concentrations in the region. Uranium decreases an order of magnitude between the groundwater at the top of the watershed and the groundwat
Authors
Kimberly R. Beisner, Collin Davidson, Fred D. Tillman

Potential effects of projected pumping scenarios on future water-table elevations near Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, simulated different groundwater pumping scenarios from 2016 to 2050 to determine the potential future changes in groundwater levels in areas around the Kirtland Air Force Base Bulk Fuels Facility and an ethylene dibromide (EDB) plume. Projections of water supply and demand created by the Albuquerque Bernalillo Cou
Authors
Allison K. Flickinger

Science

Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Resources of New Mexico

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread anthropogenic chemicals that have been in use for the past 70 years. This class of compounds comprises thousands of chemicals including perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs) such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). As the use of these chemicals has grown so has their ubiquity in...
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Assessment of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water Resources of New Mexico

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread anthropogenic chemicals that have been in use for the past 70 years. This class of compounds comprises thousands of chemicals including perfluorosulfonates (PFSAs) such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). As the use of these chemicals has grown so has their ubiquity in...
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Actionable Science

The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project is exploring new approaches for the USGS to answer complex earth systems questions identified in partnership with stakeholders, which cannot be answered through a single discipline approach. Science coproduction is a method where scientists, managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders first identify specific decisions to be informed by science, and then...
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Actionable Science

The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project is exploring new approaches for the USGS to answer complex earth systems questions identified in partnership with stakeholders, which cannot be answered through a single discipline approach. Science coproduction is a method where scientists, managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders first identify specific decisions to be informed by science, and then...
Learn More

Integrated Science Approach

The USGS has a long history of delivering science and tools to help decision-makers manage and mitigate effects of drought. The timing is critical for the USGS to consolidate its diverse expertise into a single landscape-scale effort to rapidly provide integrated transdisciplinary, targeted data, tools, and models required by decision makers in the Basin. This initiative unifies USGS expertise...
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Integrated Science Approach

The USGS has a long history of delivering science and tools to help decision-makers manage and mitigate effects of drought. The timing is critical for the USGS to consolidate its diverse expertise into a single landscape-scale effort to rapidly provide integrated transdisciplinary, targeted data, tools, and models required by decision makers in the Basin. This initiative unifies USGS expertise...
Learn More