El Zapotillo Dam

Protest at the proposed site of El Zapotillo Dam in Sep. 2008 (Residents remind the Governor of his promise from last year that if 50% + 1 of the population objects to the dam, it will not be built.)

The small towns of Temacapulín, Acasico and Palmarejo are located next to the Río Verde, about 2 hours northeast of Guadalajara, México. Besides the common ties of location, language and culture, they all face the threat of inundation if El Zapotillo Dam is built.

But the people are fighting back.

Residents have been organizing, protesting, and fighting legal battles against El Zapotillo Dam since it was proposed in 2006 by CONAGUA, Mexico's National Water Commission.

Over 1,000 permanent residents will have to be relocated if the towns are flooded. When the seasonal migrant population is included, the number is over 3,000. At a meeting in May 2008, Governor Emilio González Márquez said that if 50% + 1 of the population was not if favor of the dam, it would not be built. 90% of the combined populations is opposed to El Zapotillo Dam. Although there is an audio recording of his promise, the Governor so far has not kept his word and plans are moving forward.

International Rivers is part of a national and international coalition fighting to protect the rights of those who would be affected by El Zapotillo. The international campaign "Los Ojos del Mundo Están Puestos en Temaca" or "The Eyes of the World are on Temaca" was launched at a press conference in Guadalajara on March 15th, 2010.

Temaca will also be the site of Rivers for Life 3: The Third International Meeting of Dam-Affected People and Their Allies, in early October 2010.

More information:

Special Report on the fight against El Zapotillo by El Universal (in Spanish)
Pictures of Temacapulín on Flickr
Info on Rivers for Life 3: The Third International Meeting of Dam-Affected People and Their Allies
Información sobre Ríos Para La Vida 3: El Tercer Encuentro de Afectad@s Por Represesas y Sus Aliad@s

LATEST ADDITIONS:

Death Threats Over the Movement to Stop El Zapotillo Dam

Tendrá Temacapulín atención municipal

Anuncia Imdec apoyo internacional a los habitantes de Temacapulín

La lucha de Temaca llegará a 60 países

Organizan encuentro internacional por Temacapulín

Partners:

Town of Temacapulín (in Spanish)

Mexican Institute for Community Development (IMDEC)

Mexican Movement of People Affected by Dams and in Defense of Rivers (MAPDER)

Berklee Lowrey-Evans
berklee [at] internationalrivers [dot] org
+1 510 848 1155