Team: 2
School: Cottonwood Classic Prep
Area of Science: Environmental
Proposal: School name: Multi-Cottonwood/Del Norte
Project title: For Crying “Drought†loud
Team members: Ayvree Urrea: ayvreeurrea@gmail.com
Kiara Onomoto: kiaraonomoto@gmail.com
Violet Kelly: kellyviolet1111@gmail.com
Josh Sutter: josh@caboclan.com
Sponsor teachers: Karen Glennon kglennon25@gmail.com
Project mentors: Flora Coleman
Problem:
The problem is that the Rio Grande River, which flows through New Mexico, has been facing severe drought due to climate change and needs a better distribution of water plan. In addition, New Mexico needs to have additional options for water resources. In Las Cruces specifically, the Rio Grande didn’t flow until March and was dry by September last year, completely disrupting the irrigation season which normally lasts from February to October. Since many cities in New Mexico reside along the Rio Grande River, this drought has a widespread effect on wildlife, crops, and livelihood. In Las Cruces, water is diverted and drained according to “water rights†which accounts for three-quarters of the state’s surface and groundwater even though this only makes up 2.4% of New Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product. Due to this distribution of water, not only New Mexican residents suffer by not being able to enjoy the pleasures of living by water, but wildlife and nature suffer as well. Last year, Albuquerque also experienced a dry river on a 5-mile stretch of the Rio Grande for the first time in 40 years which means that drying events are taking place earlier and farther north than normal. Although rain alleviates drought, the Rio Grande is a snow-melt driven system, and this is not enough to reverse long term drought conditions. Water resources need to be reconsidered and redistributed to prepare for the nearing endemic state of drought in the Rio Grande River.
Plan of Action:
Our plan of action is to create a simulation of the current Rio Grande river by using the Palmer drought severity index to model its yearly precipitation, temperature, and available water supply. We will then use these results and see how they change when we add variables or solutions such as optimizing reservoirs, redefining dams, and reevaluating water distribution paths. These results will be compared to the original condition of the Rio Grande simulation to determine if these methods can save water. In addition, we want to investigate how these solutions can impact the surrounding environment.
Expected Results:
We expect that methods such as optimizing federal reservoirs to more than one entity, redefining dams in a way that is more infrastructurally beneficial to its environment, and redistributing water sources, can lead to a healthier river that can withstand dryness and be drought-resistant. As the Rio Grande river has changed in the last 100 years, its systems of irrigation and water distribution should change as well. We believe that these solutions can save the amount of water supply in the Rio Grande, as well as use it in more impactful ways that can save the drying environment around the river.
Team Members:
Ayvree Urrea
Kiara Onomoto
Karen Glennon
Sponsoring Teacher: NA