By Diana Hoogesteger
The Allende Dam is fed by the Laja river, the main flow of the Independencia watershed, also known as the upper basin of the Laja River. The basin covers an area of 70,000 square kilometers, with an aquifer that is between 5,000 and 35,000 years old. On it are settled the communities of the north and northeast area of the state of Guanajuato, which includes the municipalities of San José Iturbide, Doctor Mora, San Luis de la Paz, San Diego de la Unión, San Felipe, Dolores Hidalgo, and San Miguel de Allende. It contains many minerals such as fluorine, magnesium, manganese, sodium, arsenic, as well as the radioactive gas radon.
Until the 1970s, the aquifer contributed to the perennial flow of the Laja river. But because of groundwater overexploitation, the aquifer levels fell below the river level, so now it is supplied only during the rainy seasons. The drilling of wells began during the 1950s, and this exponentially increased the extraction of aquifer water to the present day. With the establishment of large producers of export crops, the water level from young well water has been eliminated, and the unrestrained felling of the region’s natural vegetation has been promoted to establish monoculture plantations.
The automotive and aviation industry were also established and promoted in the Lerma-Chapala Basin that includes Querétaro, Celaya, León, Irapuato, and Aguascalientes among other cities, and which the Independence Basin is a subsidiary. The government, instead of guaranteeing access to quality water for the inhabitants of the area, favors the interests of industry. They require huge amounts of water to produce automobiles and airplane parts for export and have left the population with only meager wages, growing pollution, and new diseases.
The desiccation of the area means there is currently only young water in the foothills of the Sierra Gorda and Sierra de Guanajuato. Companies like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and Bonafont, and mining projects seek to establish themselves in areas where those springs still exist to take advantage of them.
This data is taken from a 2017 pronouncement from the National Assembly of the Maize Defense Network, with participants from all over the republic. It seems to me of crucial importance that the population be aware of the real water situation and that measures are taken at all policy levels, including businesspeople, and from the individual to collective level.
Three years ago, in 2019, 15 associations responded to the municipality’s call to improve the water situation in San Miguel de Allende. They named it the Agua Vida coalition. Meetings were held, sharing fronts of action and work. At that time, recommendations were made for new regulations for the Urban Development and Territorial Planning Program, as well as for new construction laws in our municipality. But these were ignored by the local authorities. A reforestation campaign was carried out by the Environment and Sustainability department, as well as some soil rehabilitation projects with various institutions such as El Maíz más Pequeño and Vía Orgánica.
With the pandemic, work became complicated, and we had to take a break. This month, with another call to life, and to continue strengthening action for water, Agua Vida comes together again. At Vía Orgánica and at FAI (Fundación de Apoyo Infantil, Gto., A.C.) we have spent years working on soil restoration and sowing love for the countryside, for the production of regenerative food, and motivating farmers to value and work their land. Restoring the land is critical to water supply. Just as we destroy, we can rebuild, and there are examples of restoration where in five to ten years, springs and rivers have flourished again. Each organization contributes from its point of focus and its experience. We will be sharing more about the Agua Vida Coalition, our work, and how we can be part of the solution.
