Salinity and other contaminants build up in the water of the Rio Grande as it used and reused. Alternative conveyance scenarios and treatment plant sites will be assessed on a qualitative assessment of their impacts on river flows and associated environmental benefits or costs. Alternatives will be evaluated for their effects on flow volumes and seasonal patterns, fish and other aquatic species, terrestrial wildlife, and riparian habitats. Highest marks will be given to alternatives that most closely replicate the natural river hydrograph. The analysis will result in an economic ranking of water quality alternatives and provide the first systematic economic analysis of water resources in the Rio Grande Project Basin, combining both economics and ecological criteria in evaluating water improvement alternatives.
Project is ongoing.