IBWC Publishes Binational Study of the Transboundary Santa Cruz Aquifer
The US and Mexican Sections of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) have published a Binational Study of the Transboundary Santa Cruz Aquifer, an important contribution to characterizing groundwater shared by Arizona and Sonora. Developed under the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP), the study is the product of sustained scientific and technical collaboration between the two countries.
Released simultaneously in English and Spanish, the report brings together scientific information from both countries on climate, geology, surface water and groundwater, water quality, land use, and water use. By integrating and comparing information across the international border, the study strengthens the shared understanding of the Santa Cruz aquifer and helps identify information gaps and priorities for continued research and monitoring.
The report was developed by scientists and technical experts from the US Geological Survey (USGS), Mexico’s National Water Commission (CONAGUA), the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC), and Universidad de Sonora, working within the binational cooperative framework established through the IBWC. WRRC contributions were funded by USGS through TAAP, a program authorized by US Public Law 109-448, and Arizona’s Technology and Research Initiative Fund.