Lake Chapala: dams accelerate its recovery

Despite the drought of the previous year, Lake Chapala and the dams that supply water to the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (ZMG) have shown a notable recovery during the recent rainy season. According to data from the National Water Commission (CONAGUA), until this Friday the level of the lake Chapala It reached 60.5% of its capacity, a significant increase compared to the 35% it had at the beginning of the storm, on June 15.

The researcher Juan Pablo Macías explained that The accelerated recovery of the lake is mainly due to the flow it receives from the dams located in the Lerma-Chapala basin, which covers several states in the country. “The level of the lake began to rise around July 1, thanks to the rains recorded in the lake basin itself, but starting on August 20 it accelerated due to the contribution of flows from the Lerma River,” Macías explained. He added that, for Chapala to receive greater flows, the dams in the upper, middle and lower areas of the Lerma must reach levels established in the Lerma-Chapala Basin agreements.

Among the dams that provide water to the lake, the Solís dam and the Laguna Yuriria dam in Guanajuato stand out, as well as the El Rosario dam, in Michoacán. Despite the decrease in rain in October, Macías pointed out that the lake continues to receive water thanks to the release of these dams, which also helps prevent flooding in nearby communities.

Regarding the dams that supply the ZMG, the dam Elijah González Chavezbetter known as Calderón, has had a notable recovery, reaching 95 percent of its capacity. “This dam depends on the rainfall recorded in its basin, which is not constant. In June it reached its lowest level of the year, with 19.10 percent, almost to the point of silt,” the researcher noted.

Other important dams for the city’s water supply, such as La Red and El Salto have also shown improvements, with levels of 83 and 97%, respectively. In particular, the El Salto reservoir reached a worrying level of 107% during the current storm, which led to the implementation of preventive measures against possible overflows.

Macías recalled that the dam The Zapotillo, inaugurated last August, it still does not appear on the CONAGUA platform, although it is expected that in the future it will contribute two cubic meters per second to supply the ZMG.

Finally, the specialist called on the population to make responsible use of water, despite the recovery of water bodies. “We should not be overconfident because of the good storm we had this year; It is vital to continue taking care of the water resource,” he concluded.

Source: CONAGUA