Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013

A brief description of the natural conditions that led to the development of irrigation in Mexico is presented, and some of the main problems that irrigation faces in present day are addressed. An overview of the modernization of the irrigation techniques, which began in 1962, when the first offices...

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Main Authors: Óscar Luis Palacios Vélez, Felipe J. A. Pedraza Oropeza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua 2015-11-01
Series:Tecnología y ciencias del agua
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.revistatyca.org.mx/ojs/index.php/tyca/article/view/1164
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author Óscar Luis Palacios Vélez
Felipe J. A. Pedraza Oropeza
author_facet Óscar Luis Palacios Vélez
Felipe J. A. Pedraza Oropeza
author_sort Óscar Luis Palacios Vélez
collection DOAJ
description A brief description of the natural conditions that led to the development of irrigation in Mexico is presented, and some of the main problems that irrigation faces in present day are addressed. An overview of the modernization of the irrigation techniques, which began in 1962, when the first offices of irrigation and drainage engineering were created, is presented. These offices were created to give a technical support to the rehabilitation works that started in several irrigation districts. The main activities carried out by these offices were related to the irrigation improvement, as well as to the monitoring of water table levels and soil salinity. The activities of the so-called “Plan de Mejoramiento Parcelario” (best known as “Plamepa”, or Plan for Irrigation Improvement at the farm level), which had to do with the improvement of the overall water management efficiency, as well as with the works needed to increase the main crop yields, are also described. The problems that arise during the elaboration of water table and soil salinity maps are also commented. These problems include the definition of the threshold soil salinity content to consider a soil “saline”; the definition of a proper soil salinity sampling intensity, and the method of spatial interpolation for mapping. This information is crucial when planning the reclamation of saline soils by means of leaching. In the final part the consequences of the irrigation districts transfer from the federal government to the water users, on the irrigation, drainage and salinity studies and practices are commented.
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spelling doaj.art-b7b6d23c9aac4a1495e10697d443c7b42023-12-14T17:14:00ZengInstituto Mexicano de Tecnología del AguaTecnología y ciencias del agua0187-83362007-24222015-11-01661131231052Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013Óscar Luis Palacios Vélez0Felipe J. A. Pedraza Oropeza1Colegio de Postgraduados en Ciencias Agrícolas, MéxicoColegio de Postgraduados en Ciencias Agrícolas, MéxicoA brief description of the natural conditions that led to the development of irrigation in Mexico is presented, and some of the main problems that irrigation faces in present day are addressed. An overview of the modernization of the irrigation techniques, which began in 1962, when the first offices of irrigation and drainage engineering were created, is presented. These offices were created to give a technical support to the rehabilitation works that started in several irrigation districts. The main activities carried out by these offices were related to the irrigation improvement, as well as to the monitoring of water table levels and soil salinity. The activities of the so-called “Plan de Mejoramiento Parcelario” (best known as “Plamepa”, or Plan for Irrigation Improvement at the farm level), which had to do with the improvement of the overall water management efficiency, as well as with the works needed to increase the main crop yields, are also described. The problems that arise during the elaboration of water table and soil salinity maps are also commented. These problems include the definition of the threshold soil salinity content to consider a soil “saline”; the definition of a proper soil salinity sampling intensity, and the method of spatial interpolation for mapping. This information is crucial when planning the reclamation of saline soils by means of leaching. In the final part the consequences of the irrigation districts transfer from the federal government to the water users, on the irrigation, drainage and salinity studies and practices are commented.https://www.revistatyca.org.mx/ojs/index.php/tyca/article/view/1164irrigation districts, soil drainage, soil salinity, plamepa
spellingShingle Óscar Luis Palacios Vélez
Felipe J. A. Pedraza Oropeza
Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013
Tecnología y ciencias del agua
irrigation districts, soil drainage, soil salinity, plamepa
title Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013
title_full Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013
title_fullStr Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013
title_full_unstemmed Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013
title_short Drainage and Salinity Problems in the Mexican Irrigation Districts: An Overview 1962-2013
title_sort drainage and salinity problems in the mexican irrigation districts an overview 1962 2013
topic irrigation districts, soil drainage, soil salinity, plamepa
url https://www.revistatyca.org.mx/ojs/index.php/tyca/article/view/1164
work_keys_str_mv AT oscarluispalaciosvelez drainageandsalinityproblemsinthemexicanirrigationdistrictsanoverview19622013
AT felipejapedrazaoropeza drainageandsalinityproblemsinthemexicanirrigationdistrictsanoverview19622013