Americas ok.indd - World Water Council

such as depth and well flow, obtaining information about productionactivities and domestic activities.• Local inhabitants of Colonia ISTA, Bola de Monte, El Tamarindo, RanchoSan Marcos, Santa Teresa, El Porvenir, El Zapote, El Castaño, El Botoncillo,contributed with their experience.Long-term commitment and targetsThis study shall serve to encourage further research to establish the type ofsalinisation in the area, predicting economic costs that imply reduction ofproduction, the home and, in general, deterioration of the quality of costalecosystems. We are attempting to create management proposals and territorialorder proposal to guide production development and to detain and, if possible,revert salinisation in the area under study.Originality and Innovative IdeasThe economic issue is not usually deemed as relevant in water and naturalresources management. This work aims to explain to homes and localproducers that there are economic costs derived from damage to ecosystems,since their environmental services have been eliminated or harmed. The nonexistenceor deterioration of mangroves places at risk the future of fishing,also altering sweet water and salted water on natural balances. Loss of sweetwater flows pressures remaining aquifers, leading to over exploitation andexhaustion, favoring conditions to increase salinisation processes.Costs involvedUS $9,500, contribution from the Department of the Environment and NaturalResources -MARN- and Integrated Basin Management Project Associatedto Barra de Santiago – El Imposible (BASIM) Hydrolic Complex, the WorldConservation Union (IUCN).Lessons learned that you would propose to present at the4th World Water Forum• Visualization of social - environmental causes leading to salinisation isessential to change the conduct of producers and local inhabitants.• Economically assess the impact from the salinisation process is essentialto calculate the effect it has on a territory, but what is most important isto trace the path of these costs over the course of time.• Inhabitants have some idea of the effect of the deviation of natural flow,but sometimes they can not understand that certain practices may lead toirremediable deterioration, not only of water, but of their land too.Local actions details:IDLA0649First name Dr. José Alfredo Last name Montemayor Trejo.Organization Instituto Tecnológico Agropecuario N° 10CountryMéxicoGenderMaleEmailmontemayorja@hotmail.comScope of the action: CountryRegion:AmericasName of Local Action: Adoption of underground drop irrigation systemfor grazing land at Comarca Lagunera.Framework theme: Risk ManagementCrosscutting perspectives: Application of Science, Technology and Knowledge.Type of Organization: Professional associations and public and privateknowledge and education centers; Enterprises and facilities that are eitherprivate managed as public-private partnerships.Description and location of the problem and activity as implementedAt Comarca Lagunera of Coahuila and Durango, over exploitation of aquifersand reduction of sowing surface in recent years has reduced availability ofsurface and underground water for agricultural use. This problem is verysevere and government institutions, agro-industrial companies and thepublic must combine forces to reduce the problem. Exploitation of pasture ofapproximately 45,000 ha to sustain approximately 411,000 head of dairy cattle,annually demands an average of irrigating 1.8 m per hectare for alfalfa and1.2 m for cattle corn. This means that per hectare sowed with these products,18,000 and 12,000 square meters are required per cycle. If we take intoaccount the agricultural cycles for corn, then the demand for this product is24,000 m 3 per year. This creates the need of having to establish and researchnew irrigation methods, maximize production, and reduce the volume of waterused. On this basis, an integral research and technology transfer project forunderground irrigation systems for pasture at Comarca Lagunera was createdin 2002. The project started at Beta Santa Mónica S.P.R. de R.L in 2002 withthe establishing of a hectare of underground drop irrigation. This systembasically consists of a series of pipes and hoses, known as bands, buried inthe ground and sprinkling water in the area where the roots of the crop arefound, avoiding excessive dampness and leaking of water to deeper levels. Thisfeature makes the system ecologically sustainable because contamination ofthe freatic mantle is avoided. The ground remains practically dry, preventingweeds and crop diseases. Additionally, the direct soil evaporation process isreduced and irrigation efficiency is increased by up to 90%. Subsequently, in2003, a demonstration module was established in on an area of two hectaresin P.P El Cercado, located on the Torreón – San Pedro road Km. 7.5, with theprior agreement of the farmer, which gave us successful result, shown below.Impact of implemented activity (social, economical, environmental, etc.)Establishing this irrigation method was expected to at least reduce wateringsheets of crops by 20% and increase yield by 30%, and generate disseminationand interest in this irrigation system.Short term results:• Technical. For the production of fodder, a 45 cm sheet producing 70 tonsof pasture per hectare was used, representing a saving in water rangingfrom 30 to 50%, and production exceeding 25 tons per hectare withregard to regional measure. In the production of alfalfa during the year2004 cycle, a 1.2 sheet was used, with a reduction of around 35% percut and an average production of around 1700 kg of dry matter percut. Spacing, depth and band expenses were established in functionof the kind of soil and crop. Two masters’ thesis on irrigation sciencewere prepared. Two scientific articles that are in the arbitration processin magazines indexed to the National Science and Technology Board(CONACYT) have been written. Results have been presented at differentdomestic and international congresses. Three news bulletins have beenpublished in one of the main newspapers of the region.• Transfer. In August 2003, a demonstration event was carried out:“Adoption of an underground irrigation system for fodder “, with theattendance of technicians, producers and students. The event was backedby Trusts Established in Relation to Agriculture (FIRA). Experiences wereshared regarding the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system.Beta Santa Mónica has established 150 ha with this irrigation system andthere are other areas established that have not been taken into account.Producers are interested in adopting the system.• Awards. Third place in the project within the “Efficient use of water andenergy” event organized by Trusts Established with Results in the mediumterm:• Preparing a technological package per crop.• Observing behavior of the system regarding its durability and profitability.Types of stakeholders involved• Instituto Tecnológico Agropecuario N° 10• Trusts Established in Relation to Agriculture (FIRA)Beta Santa Mónica S.P.R de R.L.• “El Cercado” Small Property, owner Salvador Alvarez Díaz.Means of stakeholder involvement and role they play(ed)• Agricultural Technological Institute N° 10.José Alfredo Montemayor Trejo. Elaboration, Establishment and Follow upof project.Materials for irrigation system.• Trust Established in Relation to Agriculture (FIRA), Unión de CréditoIndustrial y Agropecuario de la Laguna, S.A de C.V and the SociedadMexicana de Administración Agropecuaria, A.C. Financing fordemonstration of the irrigation module.• Beta Santa Mónica S.P.R de R.L. company. Contribution of materials forthe irrigation equipment, agricultural supplies and hands.• “El Cercado” Small property owned by Salvador Álvarez Díaz. Agriculturalsupplies, machinery and farm hands.1434th World Water Forum