Water Scarcity and Degradation in the Rio San Juan Watershed of Northeastern Mexico

Abstract

Freshwater has become a limited resource for development in the Rio San Juan watershed, the major tributary of the Lower Rio Bravo, in northeastern Mexico. The results of unsustainable practices include: the inter-basin transfer of freshwater, groundwater depletion, low or nonexistent river flows in several river segments, rising pollution levels, high per capita water use, low irrigation efficiency, the disturbance of riparian ecosystems, and social conflict between water uses and users, all exacerbated by recurrent drought episodes of several temporal scales. This report shows that improving sustainable management practices could make it possible to meet current conventional water demands for agriculture, population, industry, as well as for riparian environments and ease social tension but policies are required to increase water use efficiency in all economic sectors, together with new partnerships that cut across disciplinary and professional boundaries.