Water use in aquatic ecosystems of the Tenexcalco River in the municipality of Cuautinchán, Puebla

Abstract

The issue of regulating common-use resources (CPR), and especially water, is of utmost importance because it affects all sectors of society in terms of water security. In Mexico alone, the overexploitation of aquifers is increasingly alarming, as the number of overexploited aquifers increased from 32 to 106 between 1975 and 2013; that is, water extraction almost quadrupled in 38 years (Conagua, 2014). In the municipality of Cuautinchán, the Tenexcalco River is one of the few clean superficial currents left. Therefore, the lack of regulation of this common-use resource has a significant impact on the region. The effects of hydrometeorological drought have reduced river flows. In addition, planning tools for regulating CPR are still deficient. In this regard, we propose to construct a response to the challenge posed by the regulation of common goods through an assessment of the perception of the concept of use and property rights among users of collective organizations that impact the Tenexcalco River, thus generating strategies that contribute to the prevention of hydrometeorological drought. To achieve this, it is necessary to encourage users to actively participate in the regulation of common goods and raise awareness about communal rights. In some cases, a proprietary ideology dominates within collective groups, which impacts the collective use.