November, 2019
The Independent Social-Environmental Project of the Rio Sonora—Sonora, Mexico
The Independent Socio-environmental Rio Sonora Water Project (PSIRS in Spanish) was catalyzed by the 2014 12-million-gallon acid spill from Grupo Mexico’s Cananea Mine that devastated the Rio Sonora and neighboring communities for 200 miles to the south. PSIRS devises strategies to protect the water, health, environment, and livelihood of communities along the river by joining scientific and social science experts and activists, the majority of which are Sonoran volunteers. PSIRS – comprised of E-Tech, Tijuana-based Proyecto Fronterizo de Educacion Ambiental (PFEA) , the University of Sonora Department of Scientific and Technical Investigations (DICTUS) and Social Sciences Department, University of Arizona Emerging Contaminants laboratory (ALEC), CONAGUA—the governmental National Water Commision, Red Fronteriza de Salud y Ambiente, and municipios along the river – identifies local concerns and potential sources of contamination using environmental data review, field monitoring, and local community dialogue and engagement. Objectives include: a) Train community members in environmental monitoring and observing natural events and pollution discharges to the Sonora River; b) Characterize water and sediment quality at community-discussed locations of concern; c) Identify pollution sources (existing and historic mines, sewage, etc.); d) Establish a dialogue with the Cananea Mine to improve mining practices and prevent pollution; e) Disseminate resulting information and facilitate discussions to reduce health and environmental effects; and f) Build capacity at DICTUS in environmental sampling and analysis. Current funding needs are to expand field and laboratory capabilities, purchasing needed field equipment for communities; analyze many more water, sediment, and soil samples; and strengthen analytical capabilities at the DICTUS laboratory using additional equipment and specialized training from ALEC. The expected outcome is a community-based strategic plan and agreement to minimize or eliminate identified pollution discharges at the source. These pollution discharges could come from Cananea or other active or abandoned minesites along the river, untreated sewage, general agricultural runoff, etc. Very different transparent technical and political strategies are required for each of these cases.
