Appropriation of Río San Juan water by Monterrey City, Mexico: implications for agriculture and basin water sharing |
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Authors: | Christopher A Scott Francisco Flores-López Jesús R Gastélum |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Geography and Regional Development, and Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, University of Arizona, 410 Harvill Building, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;(2) Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, B30 Riley-Robb Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-5701, USA;(3) HydroSystems Inc., 9831 S 51st St, Suite E-122, Phoenix, AZ 85044, USA |
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Abstract: | Monterrey metropolitan area’s growth has resulted in water transfers from the Río San Juan basin with significant impacts
for downstream water users, especially farmers in the Bajo Río San Juan (BRSJ) irrigation district. El Cuchillo dam is the
centerpiece of the basin’s water management infrastructure and has become the flashpoint of a multi-faceted water dispute
between the states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas as well as between urban and agricultural water interests in the basin. Subsequent
to El Cuchillo’s implementation in 1994, the BRSJ irrigation district has been modifying its irrigation operations to adjust
to the new water availability scenario. Compensation arrangements for farmers have been established, including crop loss payments
on the order of US$ 100 per hectare un-irrigable due to the diversion of water to Monterrey plus 60% of the water diverted
to be returned to farmers as treated effluent via the Ayancual Creek and Pesquería River, a process with its own water competition
and environmental implications. The Mexican irrigation sector will continue to face intense competition for water given: (a)
low water productivity in agriculture leading decision-makers to allocate water to higher productivity uses particularly in
cities, (b) priority accorded to the domestic use component of municipal water supply, and in the BRSJ case, (c) Mexico’s
national interests in meeting its water sharing obligations with the United States. |
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Keywords: | Water transfer Water productivity Water compensation El Cuchillo Rio Grande watershed Effluent |
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