Class 27: Water in El Paso

Class updates: Reading: Section 11.6

Today’s topics: Hydrology Ground water Drinking water

Class 27: Water in El Paso

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Why use the floodplain?

The river

Something to think about: will the river often overflow its levees? besides the river, where else could floodwater come

from?

Flooding

Flooding II

Flooding III

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Features in the area

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Features in the area

Groundwater & water table

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Porosity

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Groundwater

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Saturation

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Storing water

Aquifers near El Paso

•Usage: –El Paso--155 acre-feet per person per year

•Best in the US

–Ciudad Juárez--75 acre-feet per person per year

•3 sources for water:–Rio Grande River (less than 20%)–Hueco Bolson + Mesilla Bolson (rest)

•MX currently draws more than US:–Will run out ~2025

•Desalination plant w/ Fort Bliss

Water use in El Paso

Groundwater flow

Recharge & discharge

Springs

Water wells

Problems with wells

Landscape by dissolution

Sinkholes

Caves

Acidic groundwater

Environmental problems

Environmental problems II

Other uses: geothermal energy

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