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Consensus group promotes protection of Upper San Pedro River Basin
NACO, Sonora, Mexico -- 1/13/03 - Cooperation and sharing of information is the only way the Upper San Pedro River Basin in Sonora and Arizona will be protected. That was the consensus of nearly 50 people who attended a dialogue about the waterway Friday afternoon. "The basin is very important to both of us (Mexico and the United States). I would say we have an obligation to cooperate and share," said Luis Alonso Flores Molina, the secretary of the Sonora Regional Environmental Association. He was just one person who spoke about the river's upper basin, which starts in the Mexican state of Sonora and flows north into Arizona. The people who attended the meeting were about equally divided between Mexican and American citizens. Many were part of government agencies, others were from non-government groups or just private citizens. To the surprise of many from the United States, for the first time a representative from the large copper mine in Cananea provided figures that show the large industry gets about 15 percent of the water needed for processing the metal from the San Pedro River basin in Mexico. Manuel Contreras Montijo, a hydrogeologist with Grupo Mexico, the company that operates the mine, said since 1990 the mine has reduced its water consumption from 20 million cubic meters a year to 12 million. That has helped the San Pedro River aquifer because less water is being pumped from the basin, Contreras said. He said the company's study, done by an independent consultant, believes there is a surplus of water in both the San Pedro River and Sonora River basins. The Sonora River aquifer, east of Cananea, is the main source of water for the mining operations. However, others at the meeting disagreed with Contreras' upbeat views. HŽctor Manuel Arias Rojo, with the World Wildlife Fund of Mexico, said his preliminary findings show a major deficit in the two basins and that is leading to the rivers' flows slowing down. Arias said groups in Mexico need to work together to come up with a final study that will tell the correct story about the basin. Listening to the discussions was Gretchen Kent, who sits on the Upper San Pedro Partnership as a representative for Fort Huachuca. The partnership is a consortium of 20 federal, state and local agencies, as well as non-government and private groups. Noting that when organizations on the American side began a process of bringing together scientific reports, Kent said it is good to see Mexican counterparts doing the same thing. When the process began in the United States, there was a wide range of estimates on how great the water deficit was. Over time, a consensus developed based on new scientific studies, she said, adding that as the groups in Mexico come together they will also develop consensus. "The end result for both of us (Mexico and the United States) will be scientific information that provides us with an understanding of natural systems," Kent said.. That Grupo Mexico is willing to share its information with people in Sonora and the United States, Kent said, which, along with other studies being done in Mexico, will help the partnership and what the partnership has done can help people in Mexico. Also important is that those representing Mexican interests ask for more information from the partnership and other organizations in the United States, she said. Kent said the issue concerning the San Pedro River has been part of the study process for several years and what is being done now in Mexico has only been going on a few years. Gildardo Acosta of the Border Ecology Project in Agua Prieta said both countries have to be concerned about the rivers' water resources and quality. He said a study he has been involved with that shows large amounts of heavy metals and other pollutants on the Mexican side also reveals that it is not making its way across the border. Holly Richter of The Nature Conservancy and a member of the Upper San Pedro Partnership outlined how the partnership works and suggested that some of the procedures can be used by an equivalent organization in Sonora. Earlier, Robert Varady said the Dutch government is interested in the San Pedro River and has provided money to Mexico for studies. Varady is the deputy director and director of environmental programs for the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, which sponsored the afternoon event. Arturo Rodriquez, a member of the Sonora Regional Environmental Association, said too often information is too closely held by technicians and academics. "We feel information is not being provided for the benefit of the people, those who live here (in the basin)," he said. Until the scientists, politicians and others share the information "we will not truly achieve a partnership on both sides of the border," Rodriquez said. HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 458-9440
Ext. 115 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com. |