[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.22.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Novel estudio deja claro que los sistemas naturales de agua no est\u00e1n en peligro y que son esenciales para la agro econom\u00eda de la Isla<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n San Juan, Puerto Rico \u2013 A pesar de la sequ\u00eda moderada que reci\u00e9n afect\u00f3 partes de la Isla, un nuevo estudio desmiente la noci\u00f3n de que existe una crisis en los acu\u00edferos del Sur, fuente natural de agua que es cr\u00edtica para el sector agr\u00edcola del \u00e1rea. Seg\u00fan los datos expuestos en el informe, estos cuerpos de agua se encuentran en buen estado y no enfrentan amenaza alguna por parte de la agricultura.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n El estudio de los Acu\u00edferos del Sur fue comisionado a la Fundaci\u00f3n Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s y realizado por el hidr\u00f3logo y presidente de la Fundaci\u00f3n \u00c1ngel Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s gracias a una colaboraci\u00f3n entre el Departamento de Agricultura de Puerto Rico, el Fondo de Innovaci\u00f3n para el Desarrollo Agr\u00edcola, la Autoridad de Tierras, AgroPower, Gomango, Superior Angran y la Asociaci\u00f3n de Biotecnolog\u00eda Agr\u00edcola de Puerto Rico (PRABIA por sus siglas en ingl\u00e9s). Es la primera vez que se hace un estudio tan exhaustivo y conclusivo del comportamiento de 179 pozos en la zona sur y suroeste de la Isla.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s ofreci\u00f3 detalles m\u00e1s espec\u00edficos del estudio al indicar que, \u201clas extracciones de aguas subterr\u00e1neas han sido reducidas significativamente, alrededor de un 73 por ciento. En el Abanico Aluvial de Salinas, las extracciones de agua subterr\u00e1neas por parte del sector agr\u00edcola representan alrededor de un 10 por ciento de la extracci\u00f3n total y menos de un cuatro por ciento de las extracciones a finales de los a\u00f1os 80. Esta reducci\u00f3n en el uso de agua por el sector agr\u00edcola responde a la implantaci\u00f3n de sistemas de riego m\u00e1s eficiente (precisi\u00f3n e inteligente) establecida en todas las empresas de la biotecnolog\u00eda agr\u00edcola\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Por su parte Ram\u00f3n Gonz\u00e1lez agricultor y presidente de AgroPower indic\u00f3, \u201cque por m\u00e1s de 100 a\u00f1os su familia se ha dedicado a la agricultura y por fin tienen un estudio cient\u00edfico que confirma y comprueba, con datos de cuatro a\u00f1os consecutivos, lo que todo agricultor conoce; que el acu\u00edfero tiene un comportamiento c\u00edclico. Sabemos que de enero a mayo no llueve debido al tiempo de sequ\u00eda y luego el acu\u00edfero se recarga durante la temporada de lluvia\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Seg\u00fan Sol Rosado, presidenta de PRABIA, \u201cel principal hallazgo de este estudio independiente es que la agricultura, en todos sus niveles, se est\u00e1 practicando de manera sostenible y en respeto al entorno natural, con un enfoque especial la eficiencia. Y aunque se establece que la agricultura no es el mayor ofensor ante la falta de agua, todos \u2013 tanto agricultores a peque\u00f1a y grande escala, como la ciudadan\u00eda \u2013 tenemos la obligaci\u00f3n de manejar este recurso responsablemente\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rosado recalc\u00f3 que las empresas que forman parte de PRABIA operan bajo un profundo compromiso social y ambiental enmarcado en la agricultura sostenible, responsable y a beneficio del pa\u00eds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Otros hallazgos claves del estudio compartidos por Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s:<\/p>\n \u201cUn riguroso an\u00e1lisis estad\u00edstico de los r\u00e9cords hist\u00f3ricos de niveles y calidad de agua, incluyendo prueba Mann-Kendall con datos individuales y promedios anuales, no refleja un patr\u00f3n de reducci\u00f3n a largo plazo en el nivel fre\u00e1tico ni un deterioro en la calidad de agua. Por lo que cualquier conclusi\u00f3n a los efectos de una sobre explotaci\u00f3n del acu\u00edfero en funci\u00f3n del patr\u00f3n o comportamiento hist\u00f3rico del nivel fre\u00e1tico y la calidad de las aguas es incorrecta o cuando menos no estad\u00edsticamente defendible\u201d, dijo Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo obstante, sabemos que los acu\u00edferos tienen un l\u00edmite, desconocido al presente, que describe una sequ\u00eda de tal magnitud que, bajo un escenario de extracciones en particular, causar\u00eda la p\u00e9rdida de presiones artesianas a lo largo de la costa provocando el avance de la cuna de agua salobres provenientes del mar quedebemos estudiar y definir. Este es un tema que merece m\u00e1s investigaci\u00f3n en el futuro\u201d, concluy\u00f3 Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s, quien adem\u00e1s record\u00f3 que aun durante la sequ\u00eda m\u00e1s severa en r\u00e9cord (1966-67), cuando las extracciones de aguas subterr\u00e1neas eran m\u00e1s de cinco veces las presentes, los acu\u00edferos mantuvieron su integridad (capacidad y calidad).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sol Rosado reiter\u00f3 que la agricultura es la principal fuente de empleos en el sur de Puerto Rico, uno de los pocos sectores de la econom\u00eda del pa\u00eds que ha mostrado crecimiento en los pasados a\u00f1os y que continua en crecimiento. \u201cEsta trayectoria de \u00e9xito se debe en gran parte al uso eficaz, eficiente y responsable de recursos cr\u00edticos, como el agua, por todos los que trabajamos la tierra, incluyendo los agricultores independientes, las agro empresas y las empresas PRABIA. Ese es un deber que tomamos muy en serio\u201d.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Novel study makes it clear that natural water systems are not in danger and that they are essential for the island’s agro-economy San Juan, Puerto Rico \u2013 Despite the moderate drought that has recently affected parts of the island, a new study refutes the notion that there is a crisis in the southern aquifers, […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":761,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"Novel study makes it clear that natural water systems are not in danger and that they are essential for the island's agro-economy\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSan Juan, Puerto Rico \u2013 Despite the moderate drought that has recently affected parts of the island, a new study refutes the notion that there is a crisis in the southern aquifers, a natural source of water that is critical for the area's agricultural sector . According to the data presented in the report, these bodies of water are in good condition and do not face any threat from agriculture.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThe study of the Southern Aquifers was commissioned to the Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s Foundation and carried out by the hydrologist and president of the \u00c1ngel Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s Foundation thanks to a collaboration between the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico, the Innovation Fund for Agricultural Development , the Land Authority, AgroPower, Gomango, Superior Angran and the Puerto Rico Agricultural Biotechnology Association (PRABIA). It is the first time that such an exhaustive and conclusive study of the behavior of 179 wells in the south and southwest of the Island has been carried out.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s offered more specific details of the study, indicating that \u201cgroundwater withdrawals have been significantly reduced, around 73 percent. In the Salinas Alluvial Fan, groundwater withdrawals by the agricultural sector accounted for about 10 percent of total withdrawal and less than four percent of withdrawals in the late 1980s. This reduction in use of water by the agricultural sector responds to the implementation of more efficient irrigation systems (precision and intelligent) established in all agricultural biotechnology companies\u201d.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nFor his part, Ram\u00f3n Gonz\u00e1lez, farmer and president of AgroPower, indicated, \"that for more than 100 years his family has been dedicated to agriculture and they finally have a scientific study that confirms and verifies, with data from four consecutive years, what every farmer known; that the aquifer has a cyclical behavior. We know that from January to May it doesn't rain because of the dry season and then the aquifer recharges during the rainy season.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nAccording to Sol Rosado, president of PRABIA, \"the main finding of this independent study is that agriculture, at all levels, is being practiced in a sustainable manner and with respect for the natural environment, with a special focus on efficiency. And although it is established that agriculture is not the biggest offender in the face of a lack of water, all of us \u2013 both small and large-scale farmers, as well as citizens \u2013 have the obligation to manage this resource responsibly\u201d.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nRosado stressed that the companies that are part of PRABIA operate under a deep social and environmental commitment framed in sustainable, responsible agriculture and for the benefit of the country.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nOther key findings of the study shared by Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s:\r\n\r\nHistorical records do not reflect a pattern of long-term reduction in water levels or a deterioration in water quality associated with the intrusion of brackish water from the sea.\r\n\r\nThe aquifers of the South have an extraordinary resilience to periods of drought that is given by the occurrence of artesian conditions along the coast that prevent the development of a hydraulic gradient and therefore the advance of the cradle of brackish water coming from the sea.\r\n\r\nThe southern aquifers have additional capacity to continue agricultural development in the region in order to achieve the goals of the Food Security Program without undermining the availability of water for the domestic sector.\r\n\r\n\u201cA rigorous statistical analysis of historical records for water levels and quality, including a Mann-Kendall test with individual data and annual averages, does not reflect a pattern of long-term reduction in the water table or deterioration in water quality. Therefore, any conclusion regarding the overexploitation of the aquifer based on the pattern or historical behavior of the water table and the quality of the water is incorrect or at least not statistically defensible,\" said Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\u201cHowever, we know that the aquifers have a limit, unknown at present, that describes a drought of such magnitude that, under a particular extraction scenario, it would cause the loss of artesian pressures along the coast causing the advance of the cradle of brackish water from the sea that we must study and define. This is a topic that deserves more research in the future,\" concluded Rom\u00e1n-M\u00e1s, who also recalled that even during the most severe drought on record (1966-67), when groundwater extractions were more than five times those present, the aquifers maintained their integrity (capacity and quality).\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nSol Rosado reiterated that agriculture is the main source of jobs in the south of Puerto Rico, one of the few sectors of the country's economy that has shown growth in recent years and continues to grow. \u201cThis track record of success is due in large part to the effective, efficient, and responsible use of critical resources, such as water, by all of us who work the land, including independent farmers, agribusinesses, and PRABIA companies. That is a duty we take very seriously.\u201d","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=760"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":765,"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/760\/revisions\/765"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/prabiapr.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n