THE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT UNIT IN MEXICO

The water supply for all types of use in Mexico is a problem in constant growth; access to drinking water is still very limited for some sectors of the population disregarding the constant increase in groundwater extraction. Some experts conclude that current model of groundwater management in Mexico is not the correct one. Therefore, the water management in Mexico is here analyzed to propose preliminary solutions. In this regard, an analysis of hydrogeological information available from the official sector (CONAGUA, INEGI), and that obtained from technical and academic forums was prepared. The analysis shows that in Mexico the so called 653 aquifers have limits established in a conventional way, the hydrogeological monitoring network is inadequate to describe groundwater functioning and has poor coverage, the method of obtaining groundwater availability presents significant errors, among many others. It is concluded that there is a need to establish true aquifer limits based on the particular geological context and the conditions imposed by the prevailing groundwater flow systems; this implies to update the method of obtaining groundwater availability, based on an effective monitoring system, with a 3D interdisciplinary data analysis including groundwater as a hydrogeological agent.