Mexico`s Most Polluted Rivers

Mexico's Most Polluted Rivers
Salton Sea
United States of America
New River
Mexicali
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Monclova
Mexico
Monterrey
Ciudad Lerdo
Sal
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Saltillo
Pil
Polluted Rivers
Major Rivers
s R.
on
Urban>50,000 Population
R
Durango
La Paz
^
Ciudad
Victoria
San Luis Potosi
lf
Rio
R io L e r m a
Distrito Federal
Morelia
yu
l
Toluca De Lerdo
Mexico City
Ciermavaca
^
Puebla
co
a R.
Co
u
Gr n
Rio Sa
Leon De Los Aldama
Guadalajara
o
Veracruz
Campeche
Coatzacoalcos
Co
Villahermosa
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co
Oaxaca De Juarez
f of T
ehuantepec
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Gul
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Merida
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Acapulco De Juarez
500
Km
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of
The Rio Conchos basin is one of the most
important river systems in the arid region
of northern Mexico. The river has been
converted into the biggest collection
system for contaminated agricultural and
municipal wastewater. This pollution
threatens the fresh water supply to
surrounding urban areas.
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El
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Mexico State Boundries
G
Aguascalientes
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The Lerma River Basin is the lifeline of
the city of Toluca, the capital of the
State of Mexico, with approximately 1.5
million inhabitants living in the
metropolitan area and 2.5 million living
throughout the basin. Little or no
emphasis on wastewater treatment or
recyc ling has been imposed upon waste
emitting economic activities.
Capitol City
US Lakes
Mazatlan
Bol ano s
Ocean
S an R
Chihuahua
ul
North Pacific
a
c
Tut u
G
Three quarters of the Tijuana River
watershed is located within Mexico.
Mexico currently lacks water treatment
processing standards and garbage
programs, this combined with increasing
population, has resulted in large amounts
of human and industrial sewage, plastics
and other forms of garb age accumulating
in the river.
B
r
er
Hermosillo
R i o
r
ve
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ale
n
sR
i
Mag
d
The Rio Bravo(Rio Grande ) is one of North
Ame rica’s Longest Rivers with a length of 3,034
kilome ters.As urba n a re as along the river
continue to grow, the Rio Grande becom es
more polluted from the dispos al of garbage,
sewage and agricultural wastes , including
pes ticides, into the rive r.
Ciudad
Juárez
iv
Bavispe R
The New River is the most severely polluted
river of its size within the United States. The
New River receives contamination from
agricultural drainage, raw sewage and industrial
waste.
Tijuana
a na R.
Con
cho
Tij
u
Central
America
The Coatzacoalcos River’smouth is one of
the most commercial and industrial ports in
the Gulf of Mexico. The river is among the
world’s most contaminated rivers, this is due
to the lack of environmental laws rotecting
p
public water, and the presence of the
polluting petrochemical industry of Mexico
.
Data retrieved from WWU and ESRI, 2008
River Data: See resource page
World Mercator Projection
Leanne Rone, May 29, 2010