Alejandro JuarezCorazon de la Tierra (Heart of Earth)

1

Organizing Committee

2

With Financial support fromJapanese Ministry of Education, Sports, Culture, Science and

Technologyand

Research Center for Sustainability and Environment, Shiga University, Japan

Lake Chapala is

the

largest

natural lake

in Mexico

and the

third

in size

in Latin

America. 

It

has a maximum

volume

storage

of

7897 Mm3. The lake

provides

70% of

water

demmand

for

Guadalajara 

City.

Lake Chapala has spectacular

landscapes

and

a climate regulation

effect

which

benefits

surrounding

ecosystems

and

cities, including

Guadalajara City

(5  million

inhabitants). 

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I. Lake Chapala and its

basin.

•

51887 km2. Five states: 15 million inhabitants (15% Mexico’s total population)• Population density three times over the national media. • 59% live in cities•Intense migratory dynamics (Atlas Cuenca Lerma-Chapala, 2006).

Lerma-Chapala Basin

Characteristics

Papelillo (Bursera spp.)

Nopal (Opuntia ficus)Tropical dry forest

Rural people

Characteristics

Iguana (Ctenosaura

pectinata)

Tlacuache (Dydelphis

Virginiana)

Corn (Zea maiz)Bat

• 552 dams in the basin (medium and large, one per 97 km2). • 51% of dams are used for irrigation • Eutrophication and pollution (wastewater, agrochemicals, heavy metals). • Rivers’ water flow severed in long sections: riparian ecosystems strongly affected.

PROBLEMS

Soil Degradation

Since 1955 (worst Lake Chapala crisis ever) federal government have made 5 attempts to create Master Plans for Lake Chapala Basin. All of them died beforebeing implemented due to lack of social support.From 1980‐2008 there have been several social movements to “Save Lake Chapala”, which growstronger during lack of water and fall asleep as soonas water level recovers.Lake Chapala has become a recurrent issue forpoliticians. There has been lack of an integratedvision for many decades. 

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II. Workshop Precedents

Condiro-Canales Mountain Range Program

(2002-2009)

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Constructing an Action Plan for Lake Chapala Basin (2006)

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III. The

Action

Plan for

Lake Chapala Basin. Strategy

1. Optimal

use of

water.

Strategy

2. Prevention and Control of Water  Pollution.

Strategy

3. Biodiversity

Management.

Strategy

4. Social Involvement for Basin  Management.

Strategy 5. Monitoring of Lake and its  Basin.

Strategy

6. Sustainable

Management  Models.

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Promoting the Action Plan for Lake Chapala Basin (2007‐2008)

Forum in Argentina Kasumigaura

Prize

Priorizing

sub‐basins

(seven

federal government

agencies)Visit

to

Indian

lakes

T OTOTLAN ATOTONILCO

AYOTLAN

JESUS MARIA

DEGOLLADO

LA BAR CA

ARANDAS

OCOTLANPONCITLAN

JAMAY VIST AHERMOSA

TANUHATOTURECUARO

LA PIEDAD

ZINAPARO

ECUANDUREO CHURINTZIO

PENJAMILLO

TLAZAZALCAZAMORA

PUREPER O

ZACAPU

JACONA

CHILCHOT ATANGACICUARO

TANGT

AMAND

APIO

VILLA CHANDA

VILLA MAR

PAJACUARAN

SAHUAYO

JUI QUILPAN

REGULES

LA MANZANILLA

TIZA PAN

TUXCU ECA

JOCOTEPEC

CHAPALA

CARRANZA

BRISEAÑASIXTLANLAKE SHORELINE LAKE SHORELINE

LOW LERMA LOW LERMA RIVERRIVER

DUERO RIVERDUERO RIVER

ZULA ZULA RIVERRIVER

PASSION CREEKPASSION CREEKSAHUAYOSAHUAYO

Source: CESEACH, 1998.

SUBSUB--BASINSBASINS

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•To 

foster 

Integrated 

Lake 

Basin 

Management 

(ILBM) 

as 

a 

practical

approach 

for 

basin 

planning 

and 

implementation 

of 

sustainable 

practices in Mexico and other Latin American countries. 

•To 

strengthen 

the 

cooperative 

links 

between 

federal, 

state 

and 

municipal government levels with universities, research centers and 

civil 

society 

groups, 

raising 

their 

capabilities 

to 

develop 

and 

apply 

integrated projects. 

•To 

construct a 

common 

ground to 

apply 

ILBM 

in 

the 

sub‐basins 

of 

the Lerma‐Chapala Basin and other watersheds in Latin America. 

Summary

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Number of Meeting Participants 37

Residency of Participants

•

34 from Mexican States (Estado de Mexico, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Mexico City, Michoacan, Morelos, Queretaro)

•

2 from Argentina•

1 from Guatemala

Participants Field of Activity

•

13 researchers from public agencies and universities;

•

12 members of government agencies of three Mexican states

•

2 members of municipal governments•

9 members of civil society organizations•

1 private consultantResidency of

Workshop Speakers

•

2 from Japan•

1 from Philippines•

1 from USA•

1 from Guatemala•

1 from Mexico

Workshop

aspects: speakers

23

Workshop

aspects: participants

24

25

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GeneralCommitment to generate and operate a task network to maintain an

exchange of data, share 

experiences and contribute knowledge in a rapid and effective manner.

For the Santiago River watershed:Produce a guide of responsibilities and attributions of the institutions…in order to orient 

stakeholders on how to request information, facilitate decision‐making and reduce conflicts.Support and encourage strengthening of CSOs

internal structures. 

Draw up a list of research topics to avoid duplicity and overlapping…

and assuring the practical 

application of research findings.

For the Lerma‐Chapala Basin:Create specific alliances to involve the different stakeholders in structuring and applying an 

action plan for the direct Lake Chapala sub‐basin.Promote the creation of an Environmental Education Center in the

Chapala‐Jocotepec

corridor 

and a center for documentary research.Organize an annual general meeting. Integrate a descriptive case study of Lake Chapala.  ILEC assumes a commitment to promote the case of the Lerma‐Chapala watershed as an ILBM 

focal point for Latin America. 

Workshop

follow‐up

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For the Santiago River watershed:

•The Human Rights Commission of Jalisco State prepared and presented a 

detailed analysis and recommendation of Santiago River case. It’s so huge 

and integrative that has been named “the Santiago Macro‐

Recommendation”. •A proposal for strengthening NGOS’

structure is being defined. 

For the Lerma‐Chapala Basin:

•Lake Chapala obtained Ramsar

Status (February 2009).•A Management Program for Lake Chapala is being analyzed by federal 

government (presented by Corazon de la Tierra and SEMADES).•The Environmental Education Center is scheduled to start operating on 

2009 second half. •The first Follow‐Up Annual Meeting is being prepared for November, 

2009, being hosted by Michoacan

State.