Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2008AZ346B

Database Creation: Transboundary San Pedro Valley Aquifer

Institute: Arizona
Year Established: 2008 Start Date: 2009-02-27 End Date: 2009-11-01
Total Federal Funds: $20,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $40,004

Principal Investigators: Christopher Scott

Project Summary: The U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act of 2006 authorized the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to consult and cooperate with border states and appropriate entities in Mexico, amongst others, to systematically assess transboundary aquifers. On the Arizona-Sonora border, the Santa Cruz and San Pedro aquifers were identified in the Act and are in the process of binational priority setting. The Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program of Arizona (TAAP-AZ) is the Arizona component of assessment activities; related assessments are also occurring in New Mexico and Texas. A stated objective of the Act is to evaluate all available data and publications as part of the development of study plans for each priority transboundary aquifer. As a result, the TAAP-AZ is currently compiling a database of information materials related to hydrology, geology, land use, water quality, and institutions of the transboundary Santa Cruz River Valley aquifer. A similar project needs to follow for the transboundary San Pedro Valley aquifer, as it was also designated as a priority aquifer by the Act. Database creation will use Microsoft Access 2007 and will work to compile materials relevant to the area and topic of study. Materials relevant for database entry range from research reports to urban management plans. A wide variety of entities have made their resources available for inclusion in the TAAP-AZ database. Federal, state, municipal, and binational water authorities in Sonora, Mexico and Arizona, USA have assisted in the data-gathering process. Similarly, non-governmental interests have also participated and provided useful input to the database. The TAAP-AZ Upper San Pedro Database will serve as an interactive data and information resource to agencies, researchers, and policymakers. By using a Microsoft Access format, the database will provide a searchable platform in which users will be able to view citation details (e.g., a query can be conducted to find all reports or databases that contain information on geology, water quality, or other topics of interest), brief summaries/abstracts, and information about accessing these items (the database will not house all references).