A baseline assessment of hydrologic alteration degree for the Mexican catchments at gauged rivers (2016)

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2020-08, Vol.729, p.139041-139041, Article 139041
• Main Authors: Arévalo-Mejía, R., Leblois, E., Salinas-Tapia, H., Mastachi-Loza, C.A., Bâ, K.M., Díaz-Delgado, C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Economic variables; Environmental Sciences; Flow regime; Hydrologic alteration; IAHRIS; Mexican catchments
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139041

River regime has been modified in several freshwater bodies around the world. This alteration has led to species loss, water pollution, higher or lesser economic profits, changes in magnitude, timing, duration and rate change of flow, among others. Thus, hydrologic alteration assessment allows evaluating the regime parameters so that stakeholders, decision-makers, and dams managers may take efficient actions to mitigate or rehabilitate riparian ecosystems. In the present study, Hydrologic Alteration Indexes on Rivers (IAHRIS, for its acronym in Spanish) and the Mexican standard approach were considered to evaluate 1150 gauged catchments in Mexico and come up with an alteration baseline for 67.03% of the country surface. The comparison may assist stakeholders to propose potential changes in the Mexican standard approach. Results reveal that 232 analyzed catchments can be considered as non-altered according to IAHRIS. In stark contrast, there are 281 non-altered catchments in Mexico in agreement with the official standard approach. Altered catchments are mainly impacted by minimum flow metrics and connectivity discharge. Additionally, the correlation between alteration indexes and 5 socio-economic variables was checked to identify which variables may greatly impact hydrologic alteration evolution or mitigation. From the five selected variables, the Human Development Index is significatively correlated to extreme minimum metrics (p = 0.94) while the Gross Domestic Product to extreme maximum metrics (p = 0.90). [Display omitted] •This study evaluates the hydrologic alteration indices in rivers and the Mexican Standard for 1150 Mexican catchments.•232 catchments can be considered as non-altered according to IAHRIS and 281 according to the official standard approach.•Altered catchments are mainly impacted by minimum flow metrics and connectivity discharge.•The Gross Domestic Product is significative correlated to extreme maximum metrics.•The Human Development Index is significative correlated to extreme minimum metrics.