236 Recent Advances in Hydrogeology

Wednesday, 22 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 211

Hydrogeological Instrumentation of the Guadalupe Aquifer for Climate, Soil Moisture, and Groundwater Level Monitoring Analysis in the Guadalupe Valley, Baja California, Mexico

Paper number: 236-3
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:35 AM – 8:50 AM

Authors

Abstract

The Guadalupe Valley, located in the semi-arid region of northwestern Mexico, is an area of growing economic and environmental importance, particularly for its viticulture. The Guadalupe Aquifer, the region's primary groundwater source, is under increasing pressure from overexploitation and climate change. A monitoring network has been implemented to improve understanding of the aquifer’s hydrological behavior and its interactions with climate and land use, combining water table sensors, automated weather stations, soil moisture sensors, and continuous monitoring of the water table through measurement campaigns with manual probes. In 2024, several water table sensors data loggers were installed to continuously measure groundwater temperature and static water levels in selected wells across the aquifer. These devices enable the generation of time series that reveal temporal variations related to recharge, extraction, and extreme climate events. At the same time, automated weather stations were deployed on key agricultural plots to record precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed. This information is critical for correlating atmospheric conditions with changes in soil moisture and potential aquifer recharge. In addition, soil moisture sensors were installed to evaluate infiltration dynamics and water availability for crops and infer deeper percolation. The data obtained so far have been fundamental for establishing a baseline of aquifer and surface system behavior, providing an integrated view of the hydrological processes affecting water availability. This instrumentation effort represents a key tool for informed decision-making toward sustainable groundwater resource management in the Guadalupe Valley. This monitoring effort is also serving as a foundational component of a broader initiative known as Acuerdos del Acuífero Guadalupe, an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary project aimed at promoting the participatory and efficient management of the aquifer by local stakeholders. The project emphasizes co-creation of knowledge, local capacity building, and long-term strategies for equitable water use and sustainability in the region.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-412502

© Copyright 2025 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.