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Groundwater Flow Systems and Their Importance in the Assessment of Transboundary Groundwater: The Mexico–U.S.A. Case

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Intensified Land and Water Use

Part of the book series: Springer Earth System Sciences ((SPRINGEREARTH))

Abstract

The “Transboundary Aquifer” concept envisaged in the United Nations Resolution 63/124 “The Law of Transboundary Aquifers” has had a significant impact on the evaluation of transboundary aquifers around the world. In the Mexico–U.S.A. case, it has not been possible to officially determine the total number of shared aquifers, therefore, the evaluation of the systemic functioning of “Transboundary Groundwater” is to be settled; it represents an absent concept in the international transboundary water enactments. This work carries out an analysis based on scientific evidence and legal documents to determine the nature of the current conceptual discrepancies between the scientific definitions of “Transboundary Aquifer” and “Transboundary Groundwater.” Results support the need to incorporate a systemic vision of the functioning of groundwater, as well as the scientific homologation of concepts and methodologies applied by those states interested in jointly assessing groundwater as to avoid water conflicts in the context of its incipient integrated management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maestría En Gestión Integrada de Cuencas, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. Junípero Serra, Antiguo Aeropuerto, Campus Aeropuerto, S/N Santiago de Querétaro, Qro, C.P. 76140, Mexico

    Gonzalo Hatch-Kuri

  2. Instituto de Geografía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Investigación Científica. Ciudad Universitaria S/N., Ciudad de México, C.P. 04510, Mexico

    José Joel Carrillo-Rivera

Authors
  1. Gonzalo Hatch-Kuri
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  2. José Joel Carrillo-Rivera
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Correspondence to Gonzalo Hatch-Kuri .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Margarita María Alconada-Magliano

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Hatch-Kuri, G., Carrillo-Rivera, J.J. (2021). Groundwater Flow Systems and Their Importance in the Assessment of Transboundary Groundwater: The Mexico–U.S.A. Case. In: Alconada-Magliano, M.M. (eds) Intensified Land and Water Use. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65443-6_7

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