2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): The objective of this cooperative research project is to conduct research into integrated approaches to enhance the sustainable development and use of groundwater resources to support agriculture, industry, drinking water, and environmental requirements. 1b.Approach (from AD-416): Research will be conducted in the Calera Basin, Zacatecas, Mexico; the Fort Cobb Basin and Rush Springs Aquifer, Oklahoma, USA: and the Ogallala Aquifer in the Southern High Plains of the USA. The research will involve broad stakeholder groups and diverse university, federal, state, and local researchers, educators, policy makers, and outreach specialists within each basin of interest. Methods will include geophysical and socioeconomic characterization utilizing remote sensing, field measurement, and surveys. Simulation models of surface and subsurface hydrology will be applied to climatic, technology, management, and policy scenarios of interest. Results of scenario analyses will be developed into decision support products, working closely with decision makers, and delivered to water managers and policy makers. 3.Progress Report: A master's-level graduate student at Universidad Autonoma Zacateca successfully completed and defended his thesis research, under technical direction of an ARS Co-PI on the development of crop management files and SWAT calibration procedures. The ARS teams at El Reno and Bushland have entered into a joint effort to link surface and subsurface hydrologic models for application in the Ogallala, Rush Springs, and Calera aquifer assessments and a research associate has made significant progress in the linked modeling systems. In addition, the research associate has developed SPELLmap, a georeferenced dataset application, developed to rapidly manipulate, visualize, and support cross-variable analyses of large static and dynamic datasets commonly found in complex systems. A sabbatical visit by the UAZ lead collaborator was sponsored by TAMU and co-hosted by ARS at El Reno. The sabbatical work began in August was focused on analysis of climate, technology, management, and policy scenarios for water conservation using the calibrated SWAT model and development of project reports, manuscripts, and technology transfer materials. This work was successfully completed, and two peer-reviewed manuscripts have been developed. Plans are underway for another visit by another UAZ professor through TAMU and co-hosted by ARS at El Reno to use the linked atmospheric, surface, and subsurface (EB_ET-SWAT-MODFLOW) linked modeling system on the same watershed.