Meeting to focus on future activities of Rio Grande Basin Initiative
COLLEGE STATION – Future activities of the Rio Grande Basin Initiative will be the focus of a two-day meeting scheduled for April 16-17 at the El Paso Research and Extension Center in El Paso, Texas.
A joint effort of the Texas A&M University System Agriculture Program and the New Mexico State University College of Agriculture and Home Economics, the Rio Grande Basin Initiative is focused on research and Extension activities to facilitate efficient irrigation for water conservation. The Texas Water Resources Institute administers the project in Texas.
Dr. B.L. Harris, project director for the Rio Grande Basin Initiative, said the purpose of the meeting is to promote broad communication among research and Extension project personnel in both Texas and New Mexico.
“Significant accomplishments to date will be highlighted and interactive discussions for future plans will be a focus,” he said. “Better integration, project activity prioritization and expanded collaboration are goals of the meeting.”
The federally-funded initiative aims to meet present and future water demand in the basin through conservation measures that expand the efficient use of available resources, as well as create new water supplies.
Long-term efforts include teaching irrigation managers how to increase water efficiency, identifying institutional incentives for promoting conservation, assessing the potential use of saline and reused waters, and implementing strategies for landscape water conservation.
Project personnel, collaborative agencies and other interested groups are invited to attend the meeting. For registration information, contact the Texas Water Resources Institute at (979) 845-1851.
