Creating a binational sponge city in the desert: Flooding in the binational cities at Ambos Nogales on the Arizona-Sonora portion of the US-Mexico border has caused damage, ruined livelihoods and taken lives for hundreds of years. New research suggests that flooding can be detained using low-tech, nature-based solutions, like natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS), rock detention structures and green infrastructure.

This video describes a 20-year effort to identify and mitigate flood risk, by slowing and reducing stormwater runoff and protecting floodplains for disproportionately vulnerable communities. Working with the citizens, city, county, state, and federal managers, the USGS employs actionable science, geospatial analyses, and watershed models that address problems and inform decision-making on both sides of the border. The result is a growing binational ‘sponge city’ that uses nature-based solutions to reduce flooding, filter polluted stormwater, and create more green space that everyone can enjoy.

Papers Generated from this Research/References

Anides Morales, A., Norman, L. M., Lara-Valencia, F., Garcia, M., & Castellanos-Rubio, E. (2022, September 12). Using Hydrological Modeling to Validate Benefits from Green Infrastructure at the United States-Mexico Border [Using Natural Infrastructure as Nature-Based Solutions to Heal the Planet]. 16th Biennial Conference of Science & Management on the Colorado Plateau & Southwest Region, Flagstaff, Arizona.

Brady, L. M., Gray, F., Castaneda, M., Bultman, M., & Bolm, K. S. (2002). Preliminary United States—Mexico Border Watershed Analysis, Twin Cities Area Of Nogales, Arizona And Nogales, Sonora. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, OF 02-112. https://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of02-112/

Freimund, C. A., Garfin, G. M., Norman, L. M., Fisher, L. A., & Buizer, J. L. (2022). Flood resilience in paired US–Mexico border cities: A study of binational risk perceptions. Natural Hazards. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-022-05225-x

Lam, A., Norman, L. M., & Donelson, A. (2006). Accessible information technology for equitable community planning. Equity and Sustainable Development: Reflections from the US-Mexico Border. San Diego, CA, Center for US-Mexican Studies, 287–304.

Lara-Valencia, F., Garcia, M., Norman, L. M., Anides Morales, A., & Castellanos-Rubio, E. E. (2022). Integrating Urban Planning and Water Management Through Green Infrastructure in the United States-Mexico Border. Frontiers in Water, 4, 782922. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.782922

Norman, L. M. (2005). Modeling land use change and associate water quality impacts in the Ambos Nogales watershed, United States-Mexico border [THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA]. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/194202

Norman, L. M. (2007). United States‐Mexican border watershed assessment: Modeling nonpoint source pollution in Ambos Nogales. Journal of Borderlands Studies, 22(1), 79–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/08865655.2007.9695670

Norman, L. M. (2010). Urbanization and Environmental Health in Arizona Colonias. In In Donelson, A.J., and A.X. Esparza, (Ed.s). The Colonias Reader: Economy, Housing, and Public Health in US-Mexico Border Colonias (pp. 204–217). University of Arizona Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26166046

Norman, L. M. (2020). Ecosystem Services of Riparian Restoration: A Review of Rock Detention Structures in the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion. Air, Soil and Water Research, 13, 117862212094633. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178622120946337

Norman, L. M. (2020). Servicios de ecosistemas de restauración ribereña: Revisión de estructuras de detención de rocas en la ecorregión del archipiélago Madrense. Air, Soil and Water Research, 13, 117862212094633. https://doi.org/10.1177/1178622120946337

Norman, L. M. (2022). Commentary: Dryland Watershed Restoration With Rock Detention Structures: A Nature-Based Solution to Mitigate Drought, Erosion, Flooding, and Atmospheric Carbon. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, 853684. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.853684

Norman, L. M., Caldeira, F., Callegary, J., Gray, F., O’ Rourke, M. K., Meranza, V., & Rijn, S. (2012). Socio-Environmental Health Analysis in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Water Quality, Exposure and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12403-012-0067-x

Norman, L. M., Callegary, J., van Riper, C., & Gray, F. (2010). The Border Environmental Health Initiative; investigating the transboundary Santa Cruz watershed. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet, 2010–3097, 2. 

Norman, L. M., Donelson, A., Pfeifer, E., & Lam, A. H. (2006). Colonia Development and Land Use Change in Ambos Nogales, United States—Mexican Border. U.S. Geological Survey, Open-File Report 2006-1112, 121. https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1112/

Norman, L. M., Feller, M., & Phillip Guertin, D. (2009). Forecasting urban growth across the United States–Mexico border. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 33(2), 150–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2008.10.003

Norman, L. M., Gil Anaya, C., Marruffo, J., & López-Castrillo, I. E. (2024). Oso Wash Watershed and Ecohydrological Study of Restoration (p. 24) [USGS Cooperator publication]. Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

Norman, L. M., Guertin, D., & Feller, M. (2008a). A Coupled Model Approach to Reduce Nonpoint-Source Pollution Resulting from Predicted Urban Growth: A Case Study in the Ambos Nogales Watershed. Urban Geography, 29(5), 496–516. https://doi.org/10.2747/0272-3638.29.5.496

Norman, L. M., Guertin, D. P., & Feller, M. (2008b). An approach to prevent nonpoint-source pollutants and support sustainable development in the Ambos Nogales transboundary watershed. Proceedings of a USGS Workshop on Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges Along the U.S.-Mexico Border—Monitoring, Modeling, and Forecasting Change Within the Arizona-Sonora Transboundary Watersheds. Edited by Norman, L. M., Hirsch, D. D., & Ward, A. W.; Circular 1322; U.S. Geological Survey: Tucson, AZ, U.S.A., 2008. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/cir1322

Norman, L. M., Guertin, D. P., Hernández, D. P., Barnett, A. S., & Ashton-Reis, K. (2004). Binational Digital Soils Map of the Ambos Nogales Watershed, Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora, Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 2004–1335. https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1335/

Norman, L. M., Hirsch, D. D., & Ward, A. W. (2008). Proceedings of a USGS Workshop on Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges Along the U.S.-Mexico Border—Monitoring, Modeling, and Forecasting Change Within the Arizona-Sonora Transboundary Watersheds. U.S. Geological Survey. https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1322/

Norman, L. M., Huth, H., Levick, L., Shea Burns, I., Phillip Guertin, D., Lara-Valencia, F., & Semmens, D. (2010). Flood hazard awareness and hydrologic modelling at Ambos Nogales, United States-Mexico border: Flood hazard awareness and hydrologic modelling at Ambos Nogales. Journal of Flood Risk Management, 3(2), 151–165. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-318X.2010.01066.x

Norman, L. M., Lal, R., Wohl, E., Fairfax, E., Gellis, A. C., & Pollock, M. M. (2022a). La Infraestructura Natural en Arroyos de Tierras Áridas (INATS) puede establecer  sumideros de humedales regenerativos que reviertan la desertificación y fortalezcan la resiliencia climática. Science of The Total Environment, 849, 157738. https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0048969722048379-mmc2.pdf

Norman, L. M., Lal, R., Wohl, E., Fairfax, E., Gellis, A. C., & Pollock, M. M. (2022b). Natural infrastructure in dryland streams (NIDS) can establish regenerative wetland sinks that reverse desertification and strengthen climate resilience. Science of The Total Environment, 849, 157738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157738

Norman, L. M., Levick, L. R., Guertin, D. P., Callegary, J. B., Quintanar Guadarrama, J., Zulema Gil Anaya, C., Prichard, A., Gray, F., Castellanos, E., Tepezano, E., Huth, H., Vandervoet, P., Rodriguez, S., Nunez, J., Atwood, D., Patricio Olivero Granillo, G., & Octavio Gastelum Ceballos, F. (2010). Nogales flood detention study. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 2010–1262, 112. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20101262

Norman, L. M., Parcher, J. W., & Lam, A. H. (2004). Monitoring Colonias Along the United States Mexico Border. U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet, USGS FS 2004-3070 –Colonias. https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20043070

Norman, L. M., Villarreal, M. L., Lara-Valencia, F., Yuan, Y., Nie, W., Wilson, S., Amaya, G., & Sleeter, R. (2012). Mapping Socio-Environmentally Vulnerable Populations Access and Exposure to Ecosystem Services at the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands. Applied Geography, 34, 413–424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeog.2012.01.006

Norman, L. M., Villarreal, M., Niraula, R., Meixner, T., Frisvold, G., & Labiosa, W. (2013). Framing Scenarios of Binational Water Policy with a Tool to Visualize, Quantify and Valuate Changes in Ecosystem Services. Water, 5(3), 852–874. https://doi.org/10.3390/w5030852

Norman, L. M., Villarreal, M. L., Wallace, C. S. A., Zulema Gil Anaya, C., Diaz Arcos, I., & Gray, F. (2010). A High-Resolution Land-Use Map: Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 2010–1156, 28. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20101156

Norman, L. M., & Wallace, C. S. A. (2008). Mapping land use/land cover in the Ambos Nogales study area. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report, 2008–1378, 42. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20081378

This research was supported by the US Geological Survey (USGS) Land Change Science (LCS) Program, under the Core Science Systems Mission Area, with support from the USGS U.S.-Mexico Border Environmental Health Initiative (BEHI), and the USGS Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (SW CASC). Flooding and stormwater studies were funded by the United States Section of the International Boundary and Water Commission (USIBWC) and Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Ecosystem Services Research Program (ESRP) and EPA Southwest Ecosystem Services Project (SwESP) provided some support investigating ecosystem services, with Border 2020 U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program through the North American Development Bank (NADB) supporting research on green infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Census Bureau, the Mexican Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL), and the Mexican National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Informatics (INEGI) supported the USGS Colonias Monitoring Program. Support for student researchers was also provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Water Sustainability and Climate (WSC) grant (EAR1038938) and the Climate Assessment for the Southwest (CLIMAS) at the University of Arizona. The Paul D. Coverdell Fellows program provided a graduate fellowship program to Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), and the University of Arizona’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviewed all research and related activities involving human subjects conducted by student researchers.