Farmers Threatened by Critical Water Levels in Hidalgo Lake

The National Water Commission in Conagua had released a warning about a natural body of water in Hidalgo, said an article from Mexico News Daily. A lake situated in Hidalgo is the mains source of water for agriculture in the area. There is a high chance that the lake will completely dry up in a duration of more or less 30 days.

The Cause of Hidalgo Lake's Alarming Water Level

The Laguna de Metztitlán is located in Metztitlán and Eloxochitlán. Hidalgo Lake is reported to have lost 95% of its water. The perceived primary reason for the gradual loss of water in the lake is seepage and drought.

The Metztitlán council's head of ecology Gregorio Badillo stated that lack of rain in the previous year including January and February had significantly impacted the water levels of the lake.

Its Effect on the Locals' Livelihood

The current situation of the lake came into intense focus when the residents in the area had discovered hundreds to thousands of dead fish. According to Badillo, the four cooperative's 120 members whose main source of living is farming fish in the lake had lost their primary source of income, the fishes.

The intense insufficiency of water in the lake had transformed into a major concern of the farmers. The lake is a source of water for irrigating crops such as corn and beans by many farmers in the region.

A member of the Hidalgo Ecology Society and an environmental activist Marco Antonio Moreno Gaytán stated that the situation had been caused by the drought. The drought had been connected to climate change. Connecting rivers to the Laguna de Metztitlán had also dried up.

Moreno Gaytán said that it is painful to witness the loss of biodiversity in the Hidalgo Lake. In the beginning, they believed the biodiversity in the area will never disappear. However, the effects of the alarming water levels of the lake had affected agricultural activity and multiple ecosystems.

In the past, beautiful clean water flowed in the 581-hectare lake. However, due to the long-term drought, animals from farms and motorbikes can now pass through the lakebed.

Visit the Site and Predictions on the Hidalgo Lake

Conagua officials visited the site on Monday. After that visit, they predicted the Laguna de Metztitlán. They said that the lake will have more or less a month before it will completely lose all of its water.

The officials of Conagua revealed that although 200 to 300 liters of water are still flowing in the lake every second, a large amount of water is still being lost due to seepage or percolation. As of the moment, the water from the lake can cover 30 hectares.

Carlos Muñiz Rodríguez, the Hidalgo Agriculture Secretary, stated that the situation of Hidalgo Lake is "very critical." Also, he explained that officials are still hoping that the lake will be revived. However, he emphasized that the forecast for the lake is not that good for the year.

According to Muñiz Rodríguez, the entire country, not only Hidalgo, had experienced the worst drought in the previous year. There were only three states unaffected by the drought. He added the drought will continue to be experienced throughout the year.