The Paso Del Norte region encompasses communities along the Rio Grande where the states of Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua meet.  The jurisdictional diversity of the region complicates communication and sharing of information.  An internet site was developed to provide a mechanism for sharing information and thereby to promote joint planning for use of the region's shared resources.

        Initially, the internet site was developed to assist in the exchange of information among entities engaged in developing GIS information and researchers involved in GIS-assisted analyses.  Subsequently, features in the GIS internet site were provided to make information accessible to a broad spectrum of individuals involved in water resource planning and management in the Paso del Norte region.

        A search engine was developed for the internet site to enable users to access information.  The search engine is organized by country, state, county and theme.  “Theme” refers to the topic of information, such as roads, political boundaries, well sites or aquifer limits.  Users can select from a menu that allows users to view metadata, preview map information, or be linked with File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites to download information.

        One of the purposes of the internet site is to create a clearinghouse for related GIS data and information relevant to this region.  In order to share GIS data, standards for data sharing were established along with protocols for translating the information in common formats.

GIS Metadata

        Metadata is information about information.  In order for data to be useful, it must be accurate and in a format compatible with other data if it is to be joined to that data set.  National metadata standards are being developed by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC).  The FGDC is made up of 15 federal agencies with additional input from state organizations, local and tribal governments, the academic community and the private sector.  The FGDC is coordinating the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI), which is to encompass policies, standards, and procedures for organizations to cooperatively produce and share geographic data.

        While a federal standard is emerging, the degree of detail required for encoding the complete set of metadata for GIS files under development in the region was out of proportion with the needs or capabilities of regional GIS developers.  A working committee was formed for GIS developers in the Paso del Norte region to develop a metadata standard that is both appropriate for the region and capable of being expanded to be compliant with the FGDC metadata standards.

New Mexico GIS Data

        The New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute (NMWRRI) was contracted to integrate into GIS, when compatible, the data developed by the other components of the project and to develop specific GIS products.  The geographic region of the overall project encompasses the stretch of the Rio Grande from Elephant Butte Reservoir, New Mexico to Presidio, Texas with a focus on the El Paso/Cd. Juárez/Las Cruces region.  The project area includes the following:  Doña Ana and Sierra counties in New Mexico; El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio counties in Texas; and the Juárez, Guadalupe, Praxedis G. Guerrero and Ojinaga municipios in the border area of Chihuahua, Mexico.  The NMWRRI concentrated its efforts on the New Mexico component of the project, which was limited to the counties of Doña Ana and Sierra.

        A number of meetings were held with the project participants and other interested parties to identify potential candidate items that could be incorporated into GIS format.  In these meetings the purpose and scope of the project were discussed and information obtained concerning sources and availability of GIS information.  Findings from these meetings were:

        Considerable GIS information had been previously developed for Doña Ana County, New Mexico and the city of Las Cruces as a part of their respective planning efforts.  The City and County had initiated a cooperative GIS program over ten years ago that had undertaken to digitize and otherwise acquire information for the effort.  The Elephant Butte Irrigation District also became a partner along with the Water Resources Research Institute at New Mexico State University.  Each of the entities had independent goals with respect to a GIS program, but realized that cooperation could result in reduced duplication of effort, broader application potential of products, and increased efficiency.  This cooperative program thereby resulted in a regional GIS system with each of the entities contributing products.  The products were generally items that the entity had jurisdiction and responsibility and/or interest and expertise.  Agreements were reached for projection, scale, attribute definition, and software prior to undertaking development.  This regional effort has resulted in a respectable system.

        GIS information for Sierra County has not benefited from such a regional approach and the extent of information is much less.  The city of Truth or Consequences has developed digital information for areas within the city limits, but the remainder of the county has not been initiated.  The meetings of this project has stimulated interest and discussions of cooperative efforts have occurred.  Lack of resources to acquire adequate hardware, software, and trained personnel will unfortunately limit the success of such attempts.  Other GIS information is available for the county and has been acquired and included in the products of this effort.

New Mexico GIS Coverages

        A GIS coverage had been developed of the public drinking water systems in Doña Ana County by the cooperative program.  This coverage included the service area of each system and well locations.  Water use and water quality information was not included.  The water use information for 1990 and 1995 was acquired from records of the New Mexico State Engineer Office and keyed to the respective systems.  Water quality sampling information was acquired from records maintained by the New Mexico Environment Department, Drinking Water Bureau and keyed to the respective water systems.  This resulted in the four GIS coverages for public water supply systems listed below:

 Topic: Water Systems service areas
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename: dadwsys.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: dadwsys.txt

 Topic: Public Drinking Water Wells
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename: dadwphy.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: dadwphy.txt

 Topic: Water Use by public drinking water systems 1990 & 1995
 Extent: Lower Rio Grande and Hot Springs Underground Water Basins
 Filename: dwwu.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: dadwphy.txt, section 10a.

 Topic: Water quality analysis of public water supply systems
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename: dadwchem.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: dadwphy.txt, section 10b.

 Topic: Water Systems service areas
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename: sidwsys.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: sidwsys.txt

 Topic: Public Drinking Water Wells
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename: sidwphy.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: sidwphy.txt

 Topic: Water Use by public drinking water systems 1990 & 1995
 Extent: Lower Rio Grande and Hot Springs Underground Water Basins
 Filename: dwwu.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: sidwphy.txt, section 10a.

 Topic: Water quality analysis of public water supply systems
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename: sidwchem.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: sidwphy.txt, section 10b.

 Topic: 1990 Water use by major category
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename: dawusum.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: dawusum.txt

 Topic: 1990 Water use by major category
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename: siwusum.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: siwusum.txt

 Topic: USGS GWSI groundwater quality monitoring wells
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename daqw_u.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: daqw.txt

 Topic: USGS GWSI groundwater quality monitoring wells
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename siqw_u.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: siqw.txt

 Topic: USGS GWSI groundwater quality monitoring wells
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename daqw.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: daqw.txt

 Topic: USGS GWSI groundwater quality monitoring wells
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename siqw.dbf
 Format: database
 Metadata: siqw.txt

 Topic: Mesilla Bolson groundwater aquifer, Jornada del Muerto Bolson groundwater aquifer, Hueco/Tularosa Bolson groundwater aquifer, Rio Grande Alluvium groundwater aquifer, Hot Springs groundwater aquifer, and Las Animas Creek aquifer
 Extent: bolson/aquifer
 Filename: nmaqua.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: nmaqua.txt

 Topic: Transportation   Roads
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename: tlf02013.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: tlf02013.txt

 Topic: Transportation   Rail Road
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename: tlf12013.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: tlf12013.txt

 Topic: USGS GWSI groundwater level monitoring wells
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename dagwl_u.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Associated
 file: dagwl.dbf, water levels
 Metadata: dagwl.txt

 Topic: USGS GWSI groundwater level monitoring wells
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename sigwl_u.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Associated
 file: sigwl.dbf, water levels
 Metadata: sigwl.txt

 Topic: Transportation   Roads
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename: tlf02051.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: tlf02051.txt

 Topic: Transportation   Rail Road
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename: tlf12051.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: tlf12051.txt

 Topic: Transportation   Airports
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: airport.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: airport.txt

 Topic: Land Ownership
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: landown.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: landown.txt

 Topic: Cities
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: cities.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: cities.txt

 Topic: County boundaries
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: counties.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: counties.txt
 
 Topic: Surface Geology
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: geology.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: geology.txt

 Topic: Streams
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: streams.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: stream.txt

 Topic: New Mexico Study Area Boundary
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: stdyarea.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: studyarea.txt
 
 Topic: Public Land Survey
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: plss.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: plss.txt

 Topic: Land Use
 Extent: Doña Ana and Sierra Counties
 Filename: landuse.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export, UNIX compressed
 Metadata: landuse.txt

 Topic: Census tracts
 Extent: Doña Ana County
 Filename: tlf0313.e00
 Format: Arc/Info Export
 Metadata: tlf0313.txt

 Topic: Census tracts
 Extent: Sierra County
 Filename: tlf0351.e00
 Format: Arc/Info Export
 Metadata: tlf351.txt

 Topic: Primary Roads
 Extent: Sierra and Doña Ana County
 Filename: priroad.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export
 Metadata: primroad.txt

 Topic: All Roads
 Extent: Sierra and Doña Ana County
 Filename: roads.e00.Z
 Format: Arc/Info Export
 Metadata: roads01.txt, roads02.txt