with Jingyun Li

The Tecocomulco Lagoon is one of the former Anáhuac lakes in the Mexican altiplano with critical ecological and cultural value. Due to the aggressive anthropization of its valley, the lagoon is shrinking as a result of siltation caused by erosion, the near-depletion of its aquifer with industrial/municipal concessions, and the reclamation of farming land. In the face of these challenges, our proposed NGO focuses on repairing both the visible and the invisible—the lagoon, the aquifer, and farmers’ right to water resources through sustainable management of common resources. 

In the first years, our NGO will focus on raising awareness about the value of the lagoon and restoration by empowering the community with resource management knowledge. Eventually, the management will be handled entirely by community entities, who would manage three levels of intervention. Upstream, micro-scale infrastructures are introduced to facilitate groundwater recharge and silt catchment. At midstream, reinstated metaplante helps the transition from barley monoculture into plant rotation with Milpa. Low-stream, the lagoon’s border is reclaimed through flooding and aquaculture—with land rental programs—to reduce the lagoon’s encroachment. Within the lagoon, Tule, an invasive species, is strategically removed and reused for boardwalk construction and filtration. 

These bottom-up techniques and new infrastructures will enable annual maintenance by and for the locals while creating job opportunities and volunteering programs. Over time, the engagement with resource management practice becomes part of the aquatic cultural landscape and breathes new life into the local livelihood.