Volume 2 | Issue 3 Wester, P.; Rap, E. and Vargas-Velázquez, S. 2009. The hydraulic mission and t... more Volume 2 | Issue 3 Wester, P.; Rap, E. and Vargas-Velázquez, S. 2009. The hydraulic mission and the Mexican hydrocracy: Regulating and reforming the flows of water and power. Water Alternatives 2(3): 395-415 ABSTRACT: In Mexico, the hydraulic mission, the centralisation of water control, and the growth of the federal hydraulic bureaucracy (hydrocracy) recursively shaped and reinforced each other during the 20th century. The hydraulic mission entails that the state, embodied in an autonomous hydrocracy, takes the lead in water resources development to capture as much water as possible for human uses. The hydraulic mission was central to the formation of Mexico's hydrocracy, which highly prized its autonomy. Bureaucratic rivals, political transitions, and economic developments recurrently challenged the hydrocracy's degree of autonomy. However, driven by the argument that a single water authority should regulate and control the nation's waters, the hydrocracy consistently ...
Las infraestructuras de paz, desde su génesis en la administración de Belisario Betancur, en Colo... more Las infraestructuras de paz, desde su génesis en la administración de Belisario Betancur, en Colombia, han sido grupos de presión de carácter privado y mixto en menor medida, que están en una constante lucha por constituirse como un actor político con un grado mayor de institucionalización, valiéndose de la movilización social de manera pacífica. Estos grupos de presión a diferencia de los partidos, solo pretenden influir el sistema político. Se concluye que las infraestructuras de paz, han transitado de ser un grupo de presión a un actor político con participación directa y necesidades puntuales en el posconflicto.
In Mexico, the hydraulic mission, the centralisation of water control, and the growth of the fede... more In Mexico, the hydraulic mission, the centralisation of water control, and the growth of the federal hydraulic bureaucracy (hydrocracy) recursively shaped and reinforced each other during the 20th century. The hydraulic mission entails that the state, embodied in an autonomous hydrocracy, takes the lead in water resources development to capture as much water as possible for human uses. The hydraulic mission was central to the formation of Mexico’s hydrocracy, which highly prized its autonomy. Bureaucratic rivals, political transitions, and economic developments recurrently challenged the hydrocracy’s degree of autonomy. However, driven by the argument that a single water authority should regulate and control the nation’s waters, the hydrocracy consistently managed to renew its, always precarious, autonomy at different political moments in the country’s history. The legacy of the hydraulic mission continues to inform water reforms in Mexico, and largely explains the strong resilience...
Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological ... more Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological basins. The Lerma-Chapala Basin has been one of the most aff...
Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological ... more Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological basins. The Lerma-Chapala Basin has been one of the most affected by years of hydrological anomalies between 1999 and 2003, insofar as they have implied a serious reduction of usable water, affecting human activities and ecosystems. This situation increased tensions between the state governments and
... sostenible, así como del establecimiento de instancias de negociación y concertación entre lo... more ... sostenible, así como del establecimiento de instancias de negociación y concertación entre los actores sociales e institucionales (Newson, 1992). ... Si observamos los datos respecto a los acuíferos de la cuenca, nos encontramos que éstos se encuentran en veda rígida -desde ...
International Journal of Water Resources Development - INT J WATER RESOUR DEV, 2008
The Lerma-Chapala basin exemplifies the challenges posed by basin closure, where surface water al... more The Lerma-Chapala basin exemplifies the challenges posed by basin closure, where surface water allocation mechanisms, lack of environmental flows and access to water are critical issues. Underlying these issues is a need for accurate water accounting that is transparent and publicly available. This paper describes basin closure in the Lerma-Chapala basin, and focuses on negotiation processes surrounding surface water allocation mechanisms. Although significant attempts have been made to achieve a ‘soft landing’, the basin is still faced with water over-exploitation, environmental degradation, and a complicated transition from centralized water management to one in which states and water users have a larger say.
Volume 2 | Issue 3 Wester, P.; Rap, E. and Vargas-Velázquez, S. 2009. The hydraulic mission and t... more Volume 2 | Issue 3 Wester, P.; Rap, E. and Vargas-Velázquez, S. 2009. The hydraulic mission and the Mexican hydrocracy: Regulating and reforming the flows of water and power. Water Alternatives 2(3): 395-415 ABSTRACT: In Mexico, the hydraulic mission, the centralisation of water control, and the growth of the federal hydraulic bureaucracy (hydrocracy) recursively shaped and reinforced each other during the 20th century. The hydraulic mission entails that the state, embodied in an autonomous hydrocracy, takes the lead in water resources development to capture as much water as possible for human uses. The hydraulic mission was central to the formation of Mexico's hydrocracy, which highly prized its autonomy. Bureaucratic rivals, political transitions, and economic developments recurrently challenged the hydrocracy's degree of autonomy. However, driven by the argument that a single water authority should regulate and control the nation's waters, the hydrocracy consistently ...
Las infraestructuras de paz, desde su génesis en la administración de Belisario Betancur, en Colo... more Las infraestructuras de paz, desde su génesis en la administración de Belisario Betancur, en Colombia, han sido grupos de presión de carácter privado y mixto en menor medida, que están en una constante lucha por constituirse como un actor político con un grado mayor de institucionalización, valiéndose de la movilización social de manera pacífica. Estos grupos de presión a diferencia de los partidos, solo pretenden influir el sistema político. Se concluye que las infraestructuras de paz, han transitado de ser un grupo de presión a un actor político con participación directa y necesidades puntuales en el posconflicto.
In Mexico, the hydraulic mission, the centralisation of water control, and the growth of the fede... more In Mexico, the hydraulic mission, the centralisation of water control, and the growth of the federal hydraulic bureaucracy (hydrocracy) recursively shaped and reinforced each other during the 20th century. The hydraulic mission entails that the state, embodied in an autonomous hydrocracy, takes the lead in water resources development to capture as much water as possible for human uses. The hydraulic mission was central to the formation of Mexico’s hydrocracy, which highly prized its autonomy. Bureaucratic rivals, political transitions, and economic developments recurrently challenged the hydrocracy’s degree of autonomy. However, driven by the argument that a single water authority should regulate and control the nation’s waters, the hydrocracy consistently managed to renew its, always precarious, autonomy at different political moments in the country’s history. The legacy of the hydraulic mission continues to inform water reforms in Mexico, and largely explains the strong resilience...
Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological ... more Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological basins. The Lerma-Chapala Basin has been one of the most aff...
Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological ... more Water is a resource that shapes many social relationships and links human groups in hydrological basins. The Lerma-Chapala Basin has been one of the most affected by years of hydrological anomalies between 1999 and 2003, insofar as they have implied a serious reduction of usable water, affecting human activities and ecosystems. This situation increased tensions between the state governments and
... sostenible, así como del establecimiento de instancias de negociación y concertación entre lo... more ... sostenible, así como del establecimiento de instancias de negociación y concertación entre los actores sociales e institucionales (Newson, 1992). ... Si observamos los datos respecto a los acuíferos de la cuenca, nos encontramos que éstos se encuentran en veda rígida -desde ...
International Journal of Water Resources Development - INT J WATER RESOUR DEV, 2008
The Lerma-Chapala basin exemplifies the challenges posed by basin closure, where surface water al... more The Lerma-Chapala basin exemplifies the challenges posed by basin closure, where surface water allocation mechanisms, lack of environmental flows and access to water are critical issues. Underlying these issues is a need for accurate water accounting that is transparent and publicly available. This paper describes basin closure in the Lerma-Chapala basin, and focuses on negotiation processes surrounding surface water allocation mechanisms. Although significant attempts have been made to achieve a ‘soft landing’, the basin is still faced with water over-exploitation, environmental degradation, and a complicated transition from centralized water management to one in which states and water users have a larger say.
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