Integrated Approach to River Basin Management: Lerma-Chapala Case Study—Attributions and Experiences in Water Management in Mexico

ABSTRACT

Mexico's development has been tightly linked with water From the 1917 Political Constitution, where water was declared to be of national proprietorship, several federal laws have been enacted to promote development and regulate water use. Changes provoked by urban and industrial growth have influenced water quality and availability, making today's water management a task beyond government, where all actors in society must play a role.

In this framework River Basin Councils are an open and plural forum, in which f ederal, state, and municipal governments, water users, and society participate in water management. The first River Basin Council created in Mexico as an answer to water scarcity and pollution was Lerma-Chapala, in a populated, urban-rural river basin. To this day, this river basin organism is a successful venture with considerable advances in water allocation and treatment facilities, made possible by means of a regional spirit of responsibility and solidarity to solve a complex water agenda of priorities.

Mexico has assumed a commitment to implement at least thirteen River Basin Councils throughout the country. They will form a valuable asset to successfully cope with future challenges in the water sector