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The biosphere reserve El Triunfo (REBITRI for its Spanish acronym) is an important regulator of streams that provide water resources for different watersheds in Mexico. Nevertheless, the assessment of ecosystem services provided by the Biosphere Reserve is still rare. In the Cuxtepeques river basin a water balance infiltration capacity was studied with the aim to point out the importance of the REBITRI as a recharge zone. The results show that the REBITRI, located in the upper part of the watershed, plays a decisive role in water catchment, being 2,5 times more than outside of the biosphere reserve. Forest conservation in the REBITRI is highly important as this land use is fundamental to maintain ecosystem services and its functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Water Seed Foundation looks for the effective investment of conservation areas in six tributary subbasins in order to reduce the reservoir bottom profile (sediment deposition) of Chicoasen and La Angostura dams at Chiapas, México. As inputs to the conservation criteria workshop it was calculated the sediment and erosion contribution of each subbasin by map algebra for the Universal Soil Lost Equation (USLE) and Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). As a result only 14% (120 759,18 ha) of the total area of subbasins (850 770 ha) are prospected for conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine municipalities have territorial connectivity with the biosphere reserve El Triunfo (BIRETRI) and eleven with water connectivity through 14 hydrographic basins. The water balance in four basins shows BIRETRI as a strategic zone for the recharge and water regulation. The importance of the water resource is evidenced by: 1) the 1,804 titles of deed of use and the tap water supply for 325,000 residents and 2) the flood damage risk. The resulting generated information will be useful in the development of mechanisms that may improve competitiveness of the territory based on a basin perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the objective of determining the influence as a recharge area over the Biosphere Reserve The Triumph (REBITRI), it was estimated the water balance of Pijijiapan river watershed since its high basin is included into the reserve polygon. It was estimated an annual rainfall of 653,8 millions of m³, 12% of which is runoff, 64% is evapotranspirated and 24% becomes infiltration. The potential recharge volume of the watershed is 2,6 higher at the area inside the REBITRI than outside. The results remark the role of the REBITRI as a water recharge zone, as well as its erosion and flood regulation effect in the watershed of Pijijiapan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]