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Water Quality Data Model in GIS for the Rio Bravo/Grande Basin

by Carlos Patino-Gomez, Ph.D., and Daene C. McKinney, Ph.D., PE

ABSTRACT

In previous research, the Center for Research in Water Resources (CRWR) of The University of Texas at Austin, and the National Water Commission (CNA) of Mexico cooperated to develop the Rio Grande/Bravo a database in which most of the data are referenced geographically (i.e., a geodatabase). The geodatabase consists of a Geographic Information System (GIS) and a relational database containing hydrologic, hydraulic and related data for the basin. ArcHydro was used as the basis of the geodatabase since it allows the river basin to be represented in a realistic network of upstream to downstream connections. The ArcHydro data model defines attributes, relationships, and connectivity between hydrologic features in a GIS database. Now that the Rio Grande/Bravo geodatabase has been created, it is available for use in various water management agencies within the U.S. and Mexico, and these agencies have shown great interest in its use. In this project, CRWR and CNA have cooperated to build on the results of the previous project to accomplish three tasks: (1) add water quality data to the Rio Grande/Bravo geodatabase; (2) add water related infrastructure data to the Rio Grande/Bravo geodatabase; and (3) determine the main river segments in this basin to be used in the water quality modeling. This project assists in developing bi-national cooperation between Mexico and the United States concerning water in the Rio Grande/Bravo basin, providing accurate and reliable data necessary for analysis and resolution of water resources issues.

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