The danger of naturalizing water policy concepts: Water productivity and efficiency discourses from field irrigation to virtual water trade

Boelens, Rutgerd; Vos, Jeroen

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2011.06.013

Cited by 142 publications

(112 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The high precipitation, the bare soils and the crop techniques on steep slopes with the crop arrangement up to 15 m in length favored the erosion in this Andean basin (Otero et al 2011, Mosquera et al 2014. Also forest fragmentation generated more vulnerability to erosion and affected the hydrologic cycle regulation as is widely explained in researches, the soil exploitation increased the concentration of pollutants in water sources, limits the water supply and alters the biodiversity in the basin (Boelens 2012, Ouyang et al 2014.…”

Section: Human Activities and Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Productive Activities on the Water Quality for Human Consumption in an Andean Basin, a Case Study

Ruiz

Idrobo

Sarmiento

et al. 2017

Rev. Int. Contam. Ambie.

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Productive activities such as agriculture and livestock have transformed the Andean basins in South America. In accordance with this statement, the objective of this study was to assess the water quality of "Las Piedras" river located in an Andean basin with 6626 ha in Colombian Highlands. This study analyzed nutrient inputs from agricultural production, spatial crops distribution, human activities and their influence on the ecological state of the river. The evaluation integrated physicochemical and biological parameters in the indexes of water quality, pollution and the aquatic macroinvertebrates community. Results showed that aggregated crop fields occupy 25.2 % in the basin and the biological water quality through the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) index denotes the presence of tolerant-pollution organisms, additionally the biodiversity was low (Shannon H´1.1). The water quality in the river satisfies the Colombian regulation criteria for human consumption, even higher concentrations of nutrients in the lower area with 2.20 mg/L nitrates and 1.49 mg/L of phosphates, besides the loss of nutrients by runoff, which was 2.57 mg/L nitrates in the middle area and 0.18 mg/L phosphates in the upper area. In this sense, the nutrient concentration input increases toward the lower area of the basin because of the crop distribution. The agricultural land use modified the hydrological ecosystem services by decreasing the basin water regulatory capacity and nutrients input to the main stream.Palabras clave: contaminación hídrica, agricultura, distribución espacial de los cultivos, biodiversidad, agua potable RESUMENLas actividades productivas como la agricultura y la ganadería han transformado las cuencas andinas de América del Sur. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la calidad del agua en la cuenca del río Las Piedras (6626 ha), localizada en la alta montaña colombiana. Se analizaron los aportes de nutrientes a partir de la producción agrícola, distribución espacial de cultivos, actividades humanas y su influencia en el estado ecológico del río. La evaluación integró los parámetros físicos, químicos y biológicos en índices de calidad del agua, de contaminación y de macroinvertebrados acuáticos. Los resultados mostraron que los cultivos ocupan el 25.2 % de la cuenca, la calidad biológica del agua según el 362índice del Grupo de Trabajo de Monitoreo Biológico (BMWP, por sus siglas en inglés) evidenció la presencia de organismos tolerantes a la contaminación y baja biodiversidad (Shannon H' 1.1). La calidad del agua es apta para consumo humano según los estándares establecidos por la normatividad Colombiana. Sin embargo, se encontraron altas concentraciones de nutrientes en la zona baja del río con 2.20 mg/L de nitratos y 1.49 mg/L de fosfatos, adicionalmente los aportes de nutrientes en escorrentía superficial fueron de 2.57 mg/L de nitratos en la zona media y 0.18 mg/L de fosfatos en la zona alta. En este sentido, se observó que el ingreso de nutrientes aumenta hacia la zona baja de la cuenca deb...

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Section: Human Activities and Water Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Productive Activities on the Water Quality for Human Consumption in an Andean Basin, a Case Study

Ruiz

Idrobo

Sarmiento

et al. 2017

Rev. Int. Contam. Ambie.

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“…3. Representation of community resources demand and the global relationship of exchange Boelens [64] argue that in many cases, the economic vision of water use efficiency is a threat to the most vulnerable groups in agriculture. Indeed, Boelens and Vos (2012) consider that peasant management systems have the capacities to efficiently manage resources.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water Management: Collective Organization, Local Demands and Water Avalilability. A Review

2017

IJAERD

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“…In miningscapes, as in other arenas where actors fight over natural resources, rather than a search for absolute truths about environmental problems, we witness a battle about "the rules according to which the true and false are separated and specific effects of power are attached to the true", a struggle over "the status of truth and the economic and political role it plays" (Foucault, qtd. in Rabinow, 1991; see also Boelens, 2014;Boelens & Vos, 2012;Brooks et al, 2013;Forsyth, 2003;Turton & Funke, 2008;Wilder, 2010;Vos, Boelens, & Bustamante, 2006). As we see in this case about how the mining company MSX managed to get access to land and water rights in Cerro de San Pedro, discourses are not innocent tools: they often serve to justify particular policies and practices, and obliterate alternative modes of thinking and acting.…”

Section: Water Availability In Cerro De San Pedromentioning

confidence: 99%

Disputes over land and water rights in gold mining: the case of Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico

Stoltenborg

Boelens

2016

Water International

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This article analyzes different visions and positions in a conflict between the developer of an open-pit mine in Mexico and project opponents using the echelons of rights analysis framework, distinguishing four layers of dispute: contested resources; contents of rules and regulations; decision-making power; and discourses. Complexities in this study manifest how communities' land and water rights are circumvented by governmental bodies and ambivalent regulations favouring the large mining company. This process is importantly reinforced by international trade legislation. Multi-actor, multi-scale alliances may offer opportunities to foster environmental and social justice solutions. ARTICLE HISTORY

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The danger of naturalizing water policy concepts: Water productivity and efficiency discourses from field irrigation to virtual water trade

Cited by 142 publications

References 39 publications

Effects of Productive Activities on the Water Quality for Human Consumption in an Andean Basin, a Case Study

Effects of Productive Activities on the Water Quality for Human Consumption in an Andean Basin, a Case Study

Water Management: Collective Organization, Local Demands and Water Avalilability. A Review

Disputes over land and water rights in gold mining: the case of Cerro de San Pedro, Mexico

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