Queretaro, Qro. The drought conditions that occur in the entity begin to compromise livestock producers, particularly in the semi-desert and Sierra Gorda regions.
The president of the Regional Livestock Union of Querétaro (UGRQ), Alejandro Ugalde Tinoco, reported that this year, due to weather conditions, the loss of 20 head of cattle has been reported.
These cases have been recorded in the municipalities of Arroyo Seco and Peñamiller, where the drought occurs to a greater extent.
“Mainly in the most compromised areas, which is Tancoyol, in Arroyo Seco, which is where we have the most severe droughts, and part of the semi-desert, in Peñamiller,” he said.
Producers in the mountain region, he added, have begun to report rains, which generates the expectation that it may improve the water supply for livestock activities.
When there is a guarantee of water and fodder, added the president of the union, the animals immediately begin to recover.
levels
As of June 15, 98.3% of the territory of Querétaro faced some degree of impact, between abnormally dry conditions, moderate drought and severe drought; therefore, only 1.7% were not affected, reports the National Water Commission (Conagua).
Of the surface of the state, 20.9% is abnormally dry, 29.1% in moderate drought and, the largest proportion, 48.3% in severe drought.
Of the 18 municipalities in the state, 17 suffer from some degree of drought and only one is in abnormally dry conditions.
With severe drought there are 14 demarcations: Amealco de Bonfil, Pinal de Amoles, Cadereyta de Montes, Colón, Ezequiel Montes, Huimilpan, El Marqués, Pedro Escobedo, Peñamiller, Querétaro, San Joaquín, San Juan del Río, Tequisquiapan and Tolimán.
Three municipalities are in moderate drought: Arroyo Seco, Corregidora and Jalpan de Serra, and only Landa de Matamoros is at the abnormally dry level.
According to Conagua, the abnormally dry category refers to a dry condition that occurs at the beginning or end of a drought period.
With the effects of moderate drought there is some damage to crops and pastures; in addition to a high risk of fires, low water levels in reservoirs, among other phenomena.
Severe drought can bring losses in crops or pastures, high risk of fires; water scarcity is common.
Meanwhile, the extreme drought sees the loss of major crops, an extreme risk of forest fires, and restrictions on the use of water due to its scarcity become widespread.
Exceptional drought usually brings exceptional and generalized losses of crops or pastures, in addition to an exceptional risk of fires, total scarcity of water in reservoirs, etc.