US-Mexico Border Environmental Health Initiative

The border region of the United States and Mexico encompasses a diverse array of physical settings and habitats which are unique in terms of their water, mineral, and biological resources. Rapid population growth, economic development, and land-use changes are pushing the limits of environmental sustainability and quality. Lagging infrastructure development has resulted in a shortage of water for municipal, agricultural, and industrial uses. To allow for continued economic growth while protecting the area's natural resources and fostering a high quality of life, the United States and Mexico need an improved understanding of the threats posed by these anthropogenic changes. The goal of this project is to provide an earth (water and geology) and biological resources database within a geographic framework using an Internet map service (IMS) to further our understanding of the linkages between the condition of the physical environment and public health issues. The project is planned to ultimately encompass the entire US-Mexico border. Recent efforts (2004-05) have focused on the lower Rio Grande basin from Falcon Reservoir to the Gulf of Mexico and an IMS for that study area is now available.