Identification of priority areas for water management in the Chaco salteño, Argentina Identificación de áreas prioritarias para la gestión del agua en el Chaco salteño, Argentina

Abstract

Water for consumption is limited by serious problems of quality and access in the Chaco salteño, Argentina. Even though several projects that are being implemented, the situation is still critical in many rural villages. Its approach requires new management tools that make it possible to outline priorities and action strategies that are more efficient, comprehensive and sustainable. This work is based on a participatory action research process and a multicriteria evaluation methodology, as a support tool for decision making at the local and regional level. Its development integrates socio-environmental variables for the spatial analysis of water accessibility, institutional actions in the territory and the quality of water resources. Rivadavia is identified as the most critical region of Salta, therefore greater efforts are required to improve its water management.