This document discusses Mexico's efforts to establish new water management models through the identification and analysis of water reserves. It outlines criteria for identifying water reserves, including water availability/stress, biodiversity importance, extraction restrictions, infrastructure, irrigation zones, overexploited aquifers, and population density. The analysis incorporates 7 core variables and 48 secondary variables across 728 basins. The goal is to reduce user risk, support biodiversity conservation, and ensure environmental services through a National System of water reserves and Public-Private Initiative with an initial budget of $10 million USD.

2. Eugenio Barrios, WWF
Mario López, CONAGUA

3. New water management
models in Mexico

4. Contributions
• Mexican standard of environmental flow
(Norma Mexicana de Caudal Ecológico)
• Identification and feasibility analysis of water
reserves

5. Water Reserve
National Water Law:
– Art. 41… the federal government could implement
trough a decree the total or partial reservation of
national water with the objective of ensure the
minimal ecological flow for ecological protection.
– Art. 86 BIS 1, The Commission is allowed
to…“promote water reserves or ecological
reserve according to the law to preserve
wetlands”

6. • Criteria for the identification of water reserves
 Water availability and stress (management units)
 Biodiversity importance
 Water extraction restrictions
 Presence of hydraulic infraestructure (big dams)
 Agricultural Irrigation Districts
 Overexploited aquifers
 Population density
7 Core variables
48 Secondary variables
Water
Availability Water
Ecological
Stress Aquifer
Importance Restrictions
overextraction
Population Infraestructure Irrigation Zones

7. 728 basins with Escala o nivel
estratégico
official water
balance
Análisis y refinamiento
de la información
Resultado final y
toma de decisiones
GIS integration

10. Major Benefit
o Reduce water users risk and support biodiversity conservation
100 % MAR
40 % MAR

11. …As an early adaptation
measure:
Instrument to ensure environmental services and goods
from the hydrological cycle that preserves the
funcionality and conectivity of ecosystems.

12. National Water Reserves Program for the
Environment
o National System of water reserves
o Public-Private Initiative
o Budget: $10 Mill Dlls (20 water reserves)
o First water reserves to be presented at the 2012
World Water Day

13. Thank you
Gracias
www.conagua.gob.mx
www.wwf.org.mx/reservas-de-agua