System for Managing Saline and Run-off Water for Fruit and Crop Production in Arid Regions of Mexico

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: More than 52% cultivable area of Mexico is classified as arid and semi-arid. Nearly half of this area, particularly in the Northern States is extremely arid and presents with some salinity, alkalinity and water logging problems. Ground water, when available for irrigation, is often saline or moderately saline-sodic. The soils of this region are calcareous and contain some salts and sodium. Soils also contain sub-surface horizon rich in carbonate and compact in nature, which may be 30-90 cms below the ground surface. Before planning a major irrigation system for crop production, provision of drainage and leaching of salts is often recommended for this region. The good quality water from underground source may rarely be available for leaching salts and when available pumping costs are prohibitively expensive. It has also been pointed out in the past that such lands could be used to harvest water. In fact, rudimentary water harvesting systems have been established by local people in some parts of this area. Thus, with the need for integral land use and water reclamation in mind, a multipurpose water use and water harvesting system was developed. The requirements of this system, among others, are: (1) To collect enough water for multiple use inside or outside the system, (2) To increase the desired production of the marginal saline land within the system, and, (3) To provide an economically feasible long term farming system for the low-income community. Such system is under development at the Ejido San Francisco del Barrial, near Parras in the State of Coahuila.