HR: 0800h
AN: H41A-0133    [Abstracts]
TI: IRBM for the Rio Conchos Basin as a Restoration and Conservation Tool
AU: Barrios, E
EM: ebarrios@wwfmex.org
AF: WWF-Mexico, Ave. Mexico 51, Col. Hipodromo, Mexico, DF 061000, Mexico
AU: * Rodriguez, J A
EM: alrodriguez@wwfmex.org
AF: WWF-Chihuahuan Desert Program, C. Coronado No. 1005, Col Centro, Chihuahua, Chi 31000, Mexico
AU: De la Maza, M
EM: mmaza@wwfmex.org
AF: WWF-Chihuahuan Desert Program, C. Coronado No. 1005, Col Centro, Chihuahua, Chi 31000, Mexico
AB: The Rio Conchos basin is the main water supply for the people of the State of Chihuahua and the middle and lower Rio Bravo in northern Mexico. Flowing for about 850 km from the highlands of the Sierra Tarahumara towards the wide valleys of the Chihuahuan Desert, the river presents recurrent periods of water stress and its basin of 6.7 million of hectares experiences a wide spectrum of problems such us long drought periods, water over allocation and extraction, water pollution, severe soil use changes. Besides, drastic soil moisture reduction is forecasted by effects of climate change. These natural and anthropological harmful situations impose a serious stress for this important and beautiful river and the rest of the basin hydrological resources. The WWF-Gonzalo Rio Arronte Alliance and its partners USAID, The Coca Cola Company and RICOH are implementing since 2004 an Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) strategy to recover the natural integrity of the Rio Conchos in the form of environmental flow. The strategy includes the five basic working lines: i) development of river basin scientific knowledge, ii) strengthen of local institutional capacities, iii) development of demonstrative projects, iv) strengthen of indigenous communities, v) education and communication. Although the implementation of the IRBM program is expected to show main results until the year 2050, some interesting results have been obtained. The strategy has provided i) new basic knowledge about the basin dynamic events such as soil change use rates, baseline values of biological integrity, water economic values, among others; ii) strong program acceptance by government and main water users (farmers), and the integration of a working group formed by government, academia and NGO's; iii) local acceptance and understanding of benefits about basin management (soil recovery, reforestation, ecological sanitation) through demonstrative projects; iv) social organization; v) few advances in education and communications have been obtained. Some of the negative results of program implementation are lack of positive acceptance by powerful groups and a couple of NGO's currently working in the basin, and low credibility from indigenous governors (leaders of the Tarahumara group).
UR: http://www.wwf.org.mx/wwfmex/prog_cuencas.php
DE: 1803 Anthropogenic effects (4802, 4902)
DE: 1813 Eco-hydrology
DE: 1819 Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
DE: 1834 Human impacts
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting