During the Science Talk held on March 10, 2022, the team behind the SWIM (Sustainable Water through Integrated Modeling) project presented an innovative digital tool designed to explore water futures with a participatory, cross-border approach.
The team, led by Natalia Villanueva Rosales, along with Josiah Heyman, Deana Pennington, Luis Garnica, and PhD student Katalina Salas, explained how SWIM enables non-technical users to model complex water management scenarios in the Rio Grande region—from San Marcial, New Mexico to Fort Quitman, Texas.
SWIM’s core goal is to advance sustainable water research by integrating technology, semantics, and stakeholder participation. Its bilingual graphical interface, available in both English and Spanish, draws from data on both sides of the border and allows users to explore models like the Water Balance Model and the Hydro Economic Model, which simulate processes such as conjunctive use of surface and groundwater—key to managing climate stress and optimizing water decisions.
The Science Talk showcased how users can start with ready-made “canned” scenarios like “Take the First Splash” and then build their own models tailored to local contexts. The emphasis was that SWIM is not meant to predict a single future, but to help users understand how climate, policy, and technology interact with water availability so they can make informed decisions.
Validated with historical data (1950–2015) and supported by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, SWIM is already being used by cities, students, scientists, and activists. Future developments will include new features such as narrative contexts, integration with national infrastructure, and enhanced user engagement.
This initiative, funded by the NSF (Award #OAC1835897), marks a major step forward in creating a more participatory and accessible model for ensuring sustainable water in the U.S. Southwest and Northern Mexico.