Mary Belle's Published Paper and Carson Scholarship

An Overview of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) in Mexico and Its Legal Framework
by Mary Belle Cruz-Ayala & Sharon B. Megdalpublished in  Water 2020, 12, 474. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12020474(link is external)
In this paper, we present an overview of water recharge projects that have been conducted in Mexico in the last 50 years.

Also, this study includes the examination of the legal framework for MAR to identify some challenges and opportunities that Mexican regulation contains in this regard. We found that in Mexico, beyond engineering knowledge regarding M AR, federal policies addressing gaps in the legislation are needed.

Groundwater resources in Mexico are facing tremendous pressure. Seventy percent of the water used for agriculture and human consumption is groundwater. Therefore, it is critical for water-stressed countries like Mexico to contemplate aquifer recharge projects as an option to increase water availability. 

Carson Scholarship

Mary Belle Cruz A. is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Arid Land Resource Sciences. Her current research focuses on assessing the role that governance plays in hindering or promoting projects to recover groundwater in Mexico. She was selected as a 2020 Carson Scholar. This program provides financial support for conducting research and training in science communication. The Carson Scholars Program is supported by a combination of funding from the Institute of the Environment, the Agnese Nelms Haury Program in Environment and Social Justice, Biosphere 2, the College of Science's Galileo Circle, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Engineering, the Graduate College and private donations.