Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso

“Helping El Paso thrive by using innovative research to ensure the continued availability of high-quality water, soil, and food.”

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, located in arid Far West Texas, serves a region that is unique in climate, geography, water resources, urban and agricultural development, demographics, and culture. An urban center in the Chihuahuan Desert, El Paso is the sixth largest city in Texas with a population of over 974,000, which accounts for 96% of the population of Far West Texas. Franklin Mountain State Park, at an elevation of 7,200 feet, divides El Paso into east and west sides. Fort Bliss Military Base adjoins El Paso to the northeast, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, with a population of 1.3 million, lies accross the Rio Grande to the south. Among the most important needs for agriculture and urban residents is a reliable, adequate, and safe water supply. Rapid regional growth, frequent drought, competition for existing water, and environmental issues underscore the urgency for finding and implementing effective water, soil, and food solutions.

El Paso Center scientists are working in partnership with irrigation districts, agriculture sectors, water utility providers, community partners, other universities, government agencies, private industries, and the general public to address these needs. The center is internationally recognized for its research in groundwater and surface water management, crop and landscape plants, soil and water salinity management, reclaimed water use, conservation program effectiveness, integrated river basin management, and evaluation of the economic impacts of technology and policy changes.