Environmental conflicts in irrigated areas: impact assessment in the River Tunuyán basin, Mendoza, Argentina

CHAMBOULEYRON, JORGE; SALATINO, SANTA; DROVANDI, ALEJANDRO; MEDINA, ROSA; ZIMERMMANN, MÓNICA; MARRE, MIRTA; BUSTOS, ROSA; ANTONIOLLI, MIRIAM; FILIPPINI, MARÍA; NACIF, NORMA; CAMPOS, SUSANA; DEDIOL, CORA; CAMARGO, ALEJANDRA; GENOVESE, DORA

Grid Iptrid Network Magazine, (FAO IPTRID)

FAO

Lugar: Oxfordshire, UK; Año: 2003 p. 11 - 11

1021-6642

Mendoza’s central oasis region is strongly linked to the flows available from the River Tunuyán. The river catchment is divided into a 54,000 ha lower sub-basin and a 81,000 ha upper sub-basin, each with registered irrigation rights. In the early 1990s, there was a boom in agricultural development in the Upper River Tunuyán command area. Large investment in quality grapevines for winemaking brought about a rapid growth of the cultivated area. It also brought about considerable use of groundwater due to the requirements of pressurized irrigation systems. This study has focused primarily on what happens as the groundwater withdrawal intensifies. The concern is that stream flows from the upper area will diminish and salinity will rise in the waters of the Lower River Tunuyán. This will impact adversely on crop yields in one of the most important agricultural areas of the province. This article describes a study, financed locally by ANPCYT and SECYT, to develop solutions to this problem.