The conflict for water in the Lerma-Chapala river basin and the water distribution
agreement
POLIOPTRO F. MARTÍNEZ-AUSTRIAMEXICAN INSTITUTE FOR WATER TECHNOLOGY
Scientific contribution on Integrated Water ManagementA CASE OF STUDY
The river basin
The water conflict / crisis
Water Distribution Agreement
• A water distribution agreement was needed in order to:– A fair upstream-downstream water distribution– To assure a enviromental flow to the lake– Protect water rights
• The agreement was reached in the context of the first Basin Council at México
Scientific Contribution
• In the agreement negotiation, scientific contribution was fundamental, bringing:– Objective, independent point of view– Information – and knowledge – transfer to the
parts.– Hydrological model: scenarios of water
management– Facilitating the process
Dynamic model
Chapala Lake
Lerma’s Lagoons
YuririaLagoon
QuerétaroApaseo
Lerma Lerma
La
Laj
a
Gu
anaj
uatoT
urb
ioZula
Duero
Angulo
Alzate35 hm3
Jaltepec
La Gavia
I. Ramírez20 hm3
Tepetitlán70 hm3
Tepuxtepec425 hm3
Solís800 hm3
I. Allende149 hm3
M. Ocampo 198 hm3
Santiago
033011
085
087
061
024
Guadalajara
045
León
Irrigation District
Reservoir
River
City
Gauge Station
Pericos
SalamancaCorrales
Adjuntas
Yurécuaro
Estanzuela
Zula
Ameche
Celaya
Salamanca
Irapuato
Toluca
Metepec
Zamora
013
Chapala Lake
Lerma’s Lagoons
YuririaLagoon
QuerétaroApaseo
Lerma Lerma
La
Laj
a
Gu
anaj
uatoT
urb
ioZula
Duero
Angulo
Alzate35 hm3
Jaltepec
La Gavia
I. Ramírez20 hm3
Tepetitlán70 hm3
Tepuxtepec425 hm3
Solís800 hm3
I. Allende149 hm3
M. Ocampo 198 hm3
Santiago
033011
085
087
061
024
Guadalajara
045
León
Irrigation District
Reservoir
River
City
Gauge Station
Pericos
SalamancaCorrales
Adjuntas
Yurécuaro
Estanzuela
Zula
Ameche
Celaya
Salamanca
Irapuato
Toluca
Metepec
Zamora
013
Model components
BaseFlow
DeepPercolation
Evaporation LossCrops
Efficiency
Pollution TransportModel
Main Stream(BOD – DO)
Lake Balance(P)
Water Demand in IrrigationDistrics and Units
DistributionAgreement
Chapala Water Level
Surface Water Module
Ground Water Module
Water Allocation Policy Module
Water DemandsModule
Water Quality Module
Exogenous Variable
Precipitation
Precipitation-RunoffModel
DirectRunoff
Aquifer
NaturalRunoff
SubsurfacePercolation
Agricultural WaterRequiremt Model
Water Demand for Urbanand Industrial Uses
Discharge(BOD,P)
Recharge
Reservoir Operation
BaseFlow
DeepPercolation
Evaporation LossCrops
Efficiency
Pollution TransportModel
Main Stream(BOD – DO)
Lake Balance(P)
Water Demand in IrrigationDistrics and Units
DistributionAgreement
Chapala Water Level
Surface Water Module
Ground Water Module
Water Allocation Policy Module
Water DemandsModule
Water Quality Module
Exogenous Variable
Precipitation
Precipitation-RunoffModel
DirectRunoff
Aquifer
NaturalRunoff
SubsurfacePercolation
Agricultural WaterRequiremt Model
Water Demand for Urbanand Industrial Uses
Discharge(BOD,P)
Recharge
Reservoir Operation
Scenario analysis
Scenarios1)Modifying the 1991 agreement 2)Using rules based on optimization techniques.
•Irrigation guarantee criteria were considered such that a minimum supply of 50% of the concession volume for every irrigation system.
•Minimum conservation levels in Chapala Lake of 1000, 1500 and 2000 hm3
•The alternatives were simulated using a precipitation historical record of 52 years.
The consensus process
IMTA provided:
1)Training in the use of the models to the members of the high-level technical group2)Scientific and technological support and advice. 3)IMTA´s guidance to perform the analysis of climatic, water use and technological scenarios, as well as of solution options.
After around 30,000 person-hours, an agreement was reached to define a so-called Joint Optimal Operational Policy. The models proved to be essential in the consensus building process, since they created the proper climate for discussions based on facts, rather than on opinions, thus making it possible to overcome the existing impasse.
Conclusions
Scientific basin knowledge and proper technological tools proved to be essential in the analysis of scenarios and solution options for a complex set of water-related problems in the face of intense competition for the resource.
Science and technology proved to be essential in building consensus among stakeholders with conflicting positions, in order to define sustainable water management schemes.
The agreement establishes operational rules for the distribution of water, seeking to satisfy as much of the agricultural demand as is physically possible and to preserve the Chapala Lake, and includes a Joint Optimal Operational Policy in one of its clauses, as well as a reference to the models as decision-making tools.
The agreement was signed by the five state governors with the presence of the President of Mexico as honorary witness and by the agricultural users.
Thank you
Knowledge and technology for integrated water management
Mexican Institute for Water Technology
5TH WORLD WATER FORUMRegion Americas Meeting
Polioptro Martínez-Austria
Adaptation to climate change
