Querétaro Faces Worsening Drought Conditions
Querétaro, Qro. A severe drought is deepening across the Mexican state of Querétaro, with nearly all municipalities experiencing moderate drought conditions in the first half of April, according to the Monitor de Sequía de México (MSM) report released on April 15.
Drought Severity and Categories
Out of the 18 municipalities, 17 (94.4%) are currently experiencing moderate drought, the first of four categories, as per the report from the Comisión Nacional del Agua (Conagua) and the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN).
Only one municipality is classified as anomalously dry, a condition that can occur before or after a drought. This represents an 88.8% increase from nine to 17 municipalities with moderate drought since the previous quarter. Additionally, the number of anomalously dry municipalities rose from six to one between March 31 and April 15.
Impact on Specific Municipalities
Among the affected municipalities are Amealco de Bonfil, Pinal de Amoles, Cadereyta de Montes, Colón, Corregidora, Ezequiel Montes, Huimilpan, Jalpan de Serra, Landa de Matamoros, El Marqués, Pedro Escobedo, Peñamiller, Querétaro, San Joaquín, San Juan del Río, Tequisquiapan, and Tolimán.
Moderate drought is characterized by some damage to crops and pastures, a high risk of fires, and low water levels in rivers, streams, reservoirs, troughs, and wells. This typically results in voluntary water usage restrictions.
Querétaro Among the Most Affected States
Querétaro is one of six states where over 90% of municipalities are experiencing drought; the others being Baja California (100%), Chihuahua (100%), Sinaloa (100%), Sonora (100%), and Durango (92.3%).
Expanding Drought Area
By area affected within the state, 32.3% of Querétaro is anomalously dry, 62.9% experiences moderate drought, and only 4.8% of the area remains unaffected.
The most significant change in drought conditions this year occurred during the first half of April. On March 15, 59.6% of the state’s area had no reported damages; however, by March 31, this figure dropped to 39.9%. The most substantial reduction in the unaffected area was observed by April 15, when only 4.8% of the area remained unaffected.
The percentage of the area experiencing moderate drought significantly increased, rising from 20.2% in the first half of March to 62.9% by the first half of April.
According to Conagua, the movement of a mid-level anticyclone in the atmosphere combined with low humidity levels resulted in rainfall deficits and warm conditions across much of the country. This scenario contributed to the expansion of moderate drought areas in central and southern Mexico, including Querétaro, during the first half of April.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the current drought situation in Querétaro? Nearly 94.4% of Querétaro’s municipalities are experiencing moderate drought conditions, with only one classified as anomalously dry.
- How has the drought situation changed recently? The area affected by drought has increased significantly, with moderate drought now affecting 62.9% of the state’s territory, up from 20.2% in early March.
- Which municipalities are most affected by the drought? Amealco de Bonfil, Pinal de Amoles, Cadereyta de Montes, Colón, Corregidora, Ezequiel Montes, Huimilpan, Jalpan de Serra, Landa de Matamoros, El Marqués, Pedro Escobedo, Peñamiller, Querétaro, San Joaquín, San Juan del Río, Tequisquiapan, and Tolimán are all experiencing moderate drought.
- What are the implications of this drought for Querétaro residents? Residents may face water usage restrictions, damage to crops and pastures, a higher risk of fires, and low water levels in rivers, streams, reservoirs, troughs, and wells.
