Irrigation System Modernization: Case Study of the Middle Rio Grande Valley

Linking a Developed Decision Support System with Advanced Methodologies for Optimized Agricultural Water Delivery

“…The Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD) may be one of the oldest operating irrigation systems in North America (Gensler et al 2009). Prior to Spanish settlement in the 1600s the area was being flood irrigated by the native Pueblo Indians.…”

“…Prior to Spanish settlement in the 1600s the area was being flood irrigated by the native Pueblo Indians. At the time of Albuquerque's founding in 1706 the ditches that now constitute the MRGCD were in already existence and were operating as independent acequia (tertiary canal) associations (Gensler et al 2009). Acequias consisted of farmer groups that maintained individual irrigation canals.…”

“…In acequia communities, each farmer was responsible for maintaining a certain length of canal and would in return receive irrigation water. The use of irrigation water was managed by an elected mayordomo (Gensler et al 2009). …”

“…Swamps, seeps, and salinization of agricultural lands were the result. In 1925, the State of New Mexico passed the Conservancy Act, which allowed for the creation of the MRGCD, by combining 79 independent acequia associations into a single entity (Gensler et al 2009;Shah, 2001). Over the next twenty years the MRGCD provided benefits of irrigation, drainage, and flood control; however, by the late 1940's, the MRGCD was financially unstable and further rehabilitation of structures was required.…”

A Low Cost Remote Monitoring Method for Determining Farmer Irrigation Practices and Water Use

“…In order to increase production with the current amount of available water and deal with external pressure for reduced water usage, irrigated agriculture has to become more efficient in its on-farm water application and its deliveries on a whole system scale. Decision Support Systems and modernization of infrastructure can be used on a large system scale to increase the efficiency of water deliveries and have been utilized successfully in New Mexico, China, Spain and Argentina Gensler et al 2009;FAO, 2006;Gao, 1999;FAO, 1994). The problem with large infrastructure improvement projects and large scale implementation of decision support systems is that significant capital is required in addition to organizational structures that allow for such massive undertakings.…”