The natural complexity, heterogeneity, and extent of transboundary aquifers around the world, have led to controversy over which method or criteria should be used to identify and delineate their boundaries. Currently, there is no standard methodology that aquifer‐sharing countries can use to delineate the area of a transboundary aquifer. In the case of Mexico and Texas, Mexico uses administrative boundaries, whereas Texas uses geological boundaries. This paper proposes a method for delineation and prioritization of aquifers (or aquifer areas) called effective transboundary aquifer areas (ETAAs), which uses a combination of physical criteria (geological boundaries, topography, and hydrography) and the location and density of active water wells in the borderland between Mexico and Texas. This method identifies the area of priority (productivity area) in the aquifer using pumping patterns or hot spots regardless of the aquifer’s surficial geological limits, therefore offering a more effective, local and practical management option at the transboundary level. Different geological features or pumping patterns will have different sizes and locations of ETAAs within the same aquifer. In West Texas, which is dominated by bolsons, the method produces limited options for ETAAs, whereas in South Texas in the easternmost border the identified ETAAs are more significant.

中文翻译：

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有效的跨界含水层地区：跨界地下水管理的一种方法

世界范围内自然的复杂性，异质性和跨界含水层的范围，引起了关于应使用哪种方法或标准来识别和划定其边界的争论。目前，尚无共享含水层国家用来划定跨界含水层面积的标准方法。就墨西哥和德克萨斯州而言，墨西哥使用行政边界，而德克萨斯州则使用地质边界。本文提出了一种划定和优先考虑含水层（或含水层区域）的方法，称为有效跨界含水层区域（ETAA），该方法结合了物理标准（地质边界，地形和水文）以及活跃水井的位置和密度在墨西哥和德克萨斯州之间的边境地区。热点，而不管含水层的表面地质限制如何，因此在跨界级别提供了更有效，本地和实用的管理选择。在同一含水层中，不同的地质特征或抽水方式将具有不同的ETAA大小和位置。在以bolson为主的西得克萨斯州，该方法对ETAA的选择有限，而在最东部边界的南德克萨斯州，确定的ETAA更为重要。