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Through a cooperative, international effort, San Diego State University (SDSU), El Colegio de la Frontera Norte (COLEF), the Tijuana National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are using geographic information science and technologies to help address several important problems in the Tijuana River watershed.

The watershed spans the border between San Diego, California, United States and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Urban activities and environmental problems in this sensitive watershed have been a problem for both nations, as has flooding. Flooding is a source of serious damage to life and property and is the primary source of sediments threatening the environment of the Tijuana estuary.

Other federal agencies involved in the project include USGS and FEMA while private partners include Sun Microsystems, Inc., of Cupertino, CA, and ESRI, Inc., of Redlands, CA.

In 1998 the Tijuana River watershed was selected by the National Partnership for Reinventing Government and by the Federal Geographic Data Committee as one of six pilot projects nationally to demonstrate the application of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure in a cross border setting and to illustrate the use of geospatial technologies in the solution of local problems.

The project is being accomplished in several phases.

The first phase identified the most urgent needs of the region and established priorities for the project. This was done by during two user workshops and through a "needs assessment" survey. It was then agreed that funding from the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Demonstration Project program should focus on flood hazards and risk assessment.

The next phase of the project saw the formation of advisory committees. It included hardware and GIS software improvements at SDSU and COLEF, and the creation of an accurate digital elevation model. Geospatial data sets, to augment the existing TRW system, are now being gathered. A methodology for modeling flood hazards and risk in a data-poor situation is being developed.

In the third phase, flood hazard and risk models will be applied to assess the extent and effects of flooding in the TRW.

In the final phase, planners in Mexico and the United States will be trained in the use of GIS software and the application of flood hazard and risk assessment models to the watershed. Recommendations will be made for making improvements in the model and using it for forecasting flood hazards and risk as a part of the land use planning processes in the cities of San Diego and Tijuana.

This research offers solutions to many of the technical and institutional problems associated with geospatial data integration and GIScience applications across international boundaries.

The principal funding source is the Federal Geographic Data Committee/National Partnership for Reinventing Government. Richard Wright of San Diego State University is the principal investigator. Nina Garfield of NOAA is the U.S. federal coordinator for the project while Rafael Vela of COLEF is the principal Mexican collaborator.

For additional information:

Dr. Richard D. Wright

Department of Geography

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA 92182

(619) 594-5466, Fax: (619) 594-4938

E-mail: wright@typhoon.sdsu.edu