The Document "Lining the All-American Canal: Competition or Cooperation
for the Water in the U.S.-Mexican Border?" quotes several studies that show that the water salinity increases about 20 - 22 mg/lt per year. Already the only crops are braley, wheat, cotton, alfalfa, sparragus.
Navarro (1998) analyzed the evolution of soluble salt concentrations only for water extracted from wells in the affected area. Navarro used similar methodology as López L. and CNA and arrived at the following model for aquifer water quality evolution in the area: Y = 1,179.84 + 21.929 (X) R2 = 0.98The Mexicali Valley is slowly dying.
9 comments:
I was originally going to ask you if this same salinization was occurring in Yuma, but then I looked up Mexicali on Google Maps instead of just assuming that it is south of Yuma. I really should think, and remember your past posts.
If you look at the Mexicali/Calexico Metro area you will notice that the Mexican side is several times the American side. This same phenomenon happens in Nogales.
Arghh. Nogales, AZ along with its sister city Nogales, Sonora.
There is a problem of salination in the USA too and they are thinking of a desalination plant in Yuma.
I may have heard of that potential desalination project. If I remember correctly the waters of the Colorado have too high a salt content to comply with the treaty requirements and thus must have their salt content reduced before delivery to Mexico. IIRC, there is already a desalination plant on the Colorado.
I did some googling and found this, which indicates that river water may end up being desalinated in order to satisfy Mexico's treaty demands.
Incidentally, US efforts to comply with Mexico's demands show that we don't intend to cut off Mexico's allocation of river water, although I'm sure some gringo water managers dream about it.
I can only imagine Mexico having its water allocation revoked in one of four situations:
1. Mexico does something incredibly dumb, that insults the US and gives those water managers that covet Mexico's water a chance to act.
2. As part of Mexico's long term goal of reconquering "Aztlan" Mexico carries out the futile military attack that Thomas W Chittum predicts will happen.
3. Mexico regains the SW, and the Mexicans in Phoenix/Los Angeles decide to screw over their fellow Mexicans to their benefit.
4. Exteme, near biblical drought that is preceded by extreme (by American standards) rationing. In such a case cities would come before farms, including farms in Mexicali.
Number 4 is coming.
Number 4 is coming.
I withdraw my question.
You are the professional and I assume you know what you are talking about, so it somewhat insulting of me to ask how you know.
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