As demand for water has increased, researchers say a lack of rain combined with mismanagement has caused one of the worst droughts in the northern half of the country
Aug 9, 2022 at 11:06 am EDT
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Water has become a sacred commodity in northern Mexico.
Reservoirs have reached the bottom of their basins. became taps Dehydration for millions of people in the city of Monterrey, where water shortages have been labeled a national security issue. Water bills have skyrocketed.
People have sabotaged pipes that could divert water to other cities. Truck drivers delivering water have been kidnapped.
Rural ranchers have lost cattle or prematurely sold their herds because they cannot feed them.
“People make lines to get a few liters of water. … I wonder how it is possible for them to reach this level?” said Víctor Magaña-Rueda, a climatologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. “In March nobody was talking about the socio-economic drought and suddenly we realized that Monterrey was facing one of the worst droughts the region has ever seen.”
Northern Mexico has experienced unseasonably dry to exceptionally drought conditions for more than a year, but water shortages have worsened in recent months.
As demand has grown Researchers say a lack of rain and especially Water mismanagement has led to one of the worst droughts in the northern half of the country. As population continues to increase and temperatures continue to rise, accelerating evaporation from the land surface, without better adaptation, water problems will worsen.
“We really should change water management, not only in terms of climate change and what can result from it, but also in terms of water needs. Our population has grown. The need for water is growing. So things should change,” said Magaña-Rueda.
Drought in Mexico leads to water rationing, theft
Dry conditions are not uncommon in northern Mexico. Much of the country is desert or semi-arid and typically receives less than 30 inches of rain per year.
However, the amount of precipitation this year was less than normal. Northeast Mexico has been persistently dry since January and hasn’t received any rainfall in a few months, which is something unusually also during the dry season.
The North American Drought Monitor shows drought conditions across Mexico, a result based primarily on rainfall amounts; around half of the country is suffering from at least a moderate drought.
Oceanographer Benjamín Martínez López said that part of the rainfall deficit is due to the temporary presence of La Niña, characterized by cooling of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific. Lower sea temperatures are associated with less cloud, less precipitation, and more evaporation in northeastern Mexico.
Increased temperatures associated with human-caused climate change may also increase evaporation, dry out soils and worsen droughts. Mexico has warmed by about 1.5 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has documented an increase in drought in the region and expects this condition to worsen as temperatures rise in the future.
Human-caused climate change may also amplify the effects of naturally occurring patterns such as La Niña.
But researchers say the low rainfall and rising surface temperatures don’t fully explain water shortages, particularly in Monterrey.
“Monterrey increased its water use very, very quickly,” Magaña-Rueda said.
The water levels in the three dams that supply the city with water are falling. In July, the level in the Cerro Prieto reservoir was so low that no water could be pumped. The Presa Rodrigo Gómez reservoir, commonly known as La Boca reservoir, is also almost empty, as shown in the satellite imagery at the top and bottom of the page. The reservoir near El Cuchillo Dam, east of Monterrey, was less than half full a few weeks ago.
Note: 2021 shoreline is the median extent in between
June 28th and July 12th. 2022 shoreline is the median
Scope between June 27th and July 11th.
Note: 2021 shoreline is the median extent in between
June 28th and July 12th. 2022 shoreline is the median
Scope between June 27th and July 11th.
Note: The 2021 shoreline is the mean extent between June 28 and July 12. The shoreline of 2022 is the mean extent
Scope between June 27th and July 11th.
Groundwater is also near record lows. The resource is used to supplement supply when surface water is unavailable or depleted and is overexploited during a drought. It usually takes months to years to replenish. On August 1, satellite data showed that groundwater in northern Mexico was near record lows. compared to the long-term average.
“It shows that they are pumping a lot of water to counteract the drought,” said Magaña-Rueda, who also cited illegal well pumping. “There’s no real control … and it’s more critical in regions where rainfall is generally sparse, like northern Mexico.”
percentile of groundwater moisture
August 1 compared to 1948-2012
percentile of groundwater moisture
August 1 compared to 1948-2012
Groundwater wetness percentile for August 1 compared to 1948-2012
Groundwater wetness percentile for August 1 compared to 1948-2012
Benjamín Ordoñez-Díaz, an assistant researcher at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, said water needs have increased in recent decades due to a growing population and an increase in the number of large businesses and agriculture. Monterrey’s population has doubled since 1990, with the metropolitan area now home to more than 5 million people.
“The drought in the past only initially affected cattle and farmers, but at this moment it affects families, farmers, cattle and all the industries that have developed in this area,” said Ordoñez-Díaz.
Much of the drought has hit people in poorer neighborhoods. While authorities restricted residents’ water supplies, several major Monterrey businesses, including breweries and soda plants, continued to receive the water supplies they needed to sustain their operations.
These maps illustrate the severity of the drought in the western United States
“People in Monterrey don’t have access to water, but at the same time you get pictures of green golf fields that get enough water,” said oceanographer López, who is also a lecturer at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. “The water distribution is not correct.”
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged that growing industrial demand is straining the water supply and urged companies and farmers to give some of their water to the public during the drought. Beer maker Heineken provided part of its water allotment and donated a well.
It is uncertain when the drought will end. Many rely on tropical cyclones to bring water to the desert and fill up reservoirs. Hurricane forecasters have forecast an above-average Atlantic hurricane season, another effect of La Niña, but activity so far in the season that began June 1 has been light. Forecasters expect it to pick up again soon, but depending on tropical cyclones for rain is risky in an ever-changing climate.
“Expecting a tropical cyclone to aid in water management in the region is not an intelligent activity,” Magaña-Rueda said. “We have retained the same practices as we did a few decades ago and that is unsustainable.”
Magaña-Rueda said the government and locals need to implement more sustainable practices, including lower overall water use, even outside of droughts. People need to diversify their water sources and not just rely on surface and groundwater in a warming world. The government should also create better drought mitigation plans and update water policies, he said.
“The best time to take action against drought is when there is no drought,” Magaña-Rueda said. “That’s what customization is all about.”
Groundwater status data is from NASA Grace. Drought Monitor data sourced from North American Drought Monitor. Satellite imagery and extent of reservoir shoreline for 2021 and 2022 is from analysis by Planet Labs PBC.