Transboundary Assessment Framework Published in MDPI Water Journal
The February 2025 issue of the journal Water features an article by Professor Elia M. Tapia-Villaseñor of the Universidad de Sonora Departamento de Geología, WRRC Director Sharon B. Megdal, and Hydrologic Research Center Chief Research Scientist Eylon Shamir. The article examines the use of shared groundwater along the US-Mexico border and outlines the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP), a collaborative effort between the US and Mexico to develop an understanding of their shared aquifers. The results from this research provide a priority ranking for aquifers in the Arizona-Sonora border region to focus attention on the most critical aquifers for binational assessment. The priority ranking framework can also be applied to other shared aquifers, including the Mesilla and the Hueco Bolson in Texas, New Mexico, Chihuahua, and elsewhere, and helps officials and researchers address the need for additional aquifer studies in this arid region.