Background on Querétaro’s Water Crisis
Querétaro, Mexico – Following a prolonged period of drought from 2022 to 2024, which significantly reduced water capture and affected agricultural activities, recent rains have allowed the state’s main dams to reach 100% of their storage capacity by the end of August 2025, confirmed Rosendo Anaya Aguilar, Secretary of Agrolivestock Development (Sedea).
Impact on Agriculture and Livestock
The drought conditions, which peaked from 2022 to 2024, caused water levels in dams to drop as low as 10%. This had a substantial impact on agricultural production, particularly in the temporal crops sector. The low water levels also affected the livestock industry.
“The drought we experienced from 2022 to 2024 was very significant, with 2023 and 2024 being the most intense. This affected irrigation, reducing the hectares regularly planted. In 2024, we reached 100% drought, which severely impacted not only farmers but also the livestock sector,” explained Anaya Aguilar.
Severe Drought Conditions
By June 15, 2024, 96.3% of Querétaro was experiencing exceptional drought – the most severe category on Mexico’s drought scale. The remaining 3.7% was classified as extreme drought, according to the Mexico Drought Monitor. A year later, by June 15, 2025, 94.8% of the state was drought-free, while 5.2% experienced abnormally dry conditions.
Government Response and Support
To address the climate-related challenges, Sedea provided 29,606 direct supports by August 2025, including maize for human consumption, forage bundles, livestock feed supplements, and forage crop seeds.
Over the past four years, nearly 117,000 direct supports have been given to the agricultural sector, totaling an investment of 1,482 million pesos. Of this investment, 55% came from state resources, 31% from direct producer contributions, 8% from federal funds, and 6% from municipal allocations.
Key Questions and Answers
- What was the severity of the drought in Querétaro from 2022 to 2024? The drought was exceptionally severe, with 96.3% of the state experiencing exceptional drought by June 2024, according to Mexico’s Drought Monitor.
- How did the drought affect agriculture and livestock? The prolonged drought significantly reduced water capture, impacting agricultural production, particularly temporal crops. It also affected the livestock industry due to water scarcity.
- What actions did the Querétaro government take to support affected sectors? The Sedea provided 29,606 direct supports by August 2025, including essential resources for both human consumption and livestock. Over four years, nearly 117,000 direct supports were given, totaling an investment of 1,482 million pesos.
- What was the water storage status of Querétaro’s dams by August 2025? Thanks to recent rains, Querétaro’s main dams reached 100% of their storage capacity by the end of August 2025, reversing the severe drought conditions experienced from 2022 to 2024.
