This report contains a collection of papers presented at a workshop in Merida, Mexico—Strengthening Science-Based Decision Making: Sustainable Management of Groundwater in Mexico. The cross-cutting themes of the workshop were the elements or principles of science-based decision making and the role of the scientific community in ensuring that science is an integral part of the decision making process. Papers included in this volume describe the groundwater resources of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, approaches to managing groundwater in Mexico and governmental and scientific institutions concerned with water resources. Other papers discuss US approaches to managing scarce water resources. Participants in the workshop included representatives from leading scientific and academic institutions, federal state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and businesses.

Table of Contents


Front Matter
Chairman's Summary
Freshwater Resources in the Yucatan Peninsula
An Overview of Mexico's Water Regime and the Role of Groundwater
A Primer on Groundwater Management
The Elements of Scientific Advice
Where Do Decision-Makers Get Advice? Sustainability and Groundwater Management Decisions
The Role of Science in Managing Yucatan's Groundwater
The Hydrogeology of the Yucatan Peninsula
The Role of Science in Groundwater Management in Arizona
The Importance of Monitoring To Groundwater Management
How Can Managers and Scientists Facilitate the Flow of Scientific Information? Perspectives from Mexico
Matching Fund Program for Scientific Research El Consejo Nacional De Ciencia Y Tecnologia (CONACyT)
How Can Managers and Scientists Facilitate the Flow of Scientific Information? Perspectives from The United States
Science and NGO's: Collaboration for the Conservation of Groundwater Resourcesin the Yucatan Peninsula
Businesses Committed to Sustainable Development: The Xcaret Group
APPENDIX A WORKSHOP AGENDA
APPENDIX B WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS LIST