| The Rio Grande River is a natural boundary between the U.S. and Mexico from El Paso, TX, to Brownsville, TX. The communities along the border heavily rely upon the Rio Grande as a primary source of water for consumption, agricultural uses, supporting wildlife and recreation. For many years the Rio Grande has been polluted with municipal, industrial, agricultural and farming contaminants from both sides of the border. This pollution has led to the extinction or reduction of certain wildlife species as well as affecting the health of the residences along the border. Even though great strides have been made in monitoring the Rio Grande, there has been a lack of intensive monitoring efforts in the portion of the river located in South Texas. Three different sampling sites in the Laredo area were chosen for monitoring of water quality parameters over a one-year period. Results show that there are elevated concentrations of phosphorous, antimony, arsenic and BHC in Manadas Creek. This research will provided insights into the interrelation between semiarid river systems. |
