Evaluation of water-level trends in the Mimbres Basin, southwest New Mexico (USA), using spatiotemporal kriging

Abstract Groundwater-level trends over the past 40 years in Mimbres Basin of southwest New Mexico (USA) were characterized with sequential water-level maps and change generated via spatiotemporal kriging. In region most abundant irrigated agriculture, water levels have declined up to 24 m cones depression expanded greatly. Increases area land groundwater withdrawals 10 are coeval declines near USA-Mexico border. Known areas recharge from streamflow infiltration, springs discharging deep-sourced water, show evidence net rises years, but last concert declining precipitation basin. Formerly lands exhibit rises, suggestive flattening after cessation extensive pumping. Manual measurements vital for understanding managing resources, yet they expensive laborious collect, which has resulted much fewer data recent years. Spatiotemporal kriging is more complex mathematical development implementation than spatial kriging, it yields improved precision accuracy, predictions at times no as well locations data, artifacts due changing networks. Its ability leverage historical recommends its use hydrologic studies dependent on changes time.