Abstract

The Coquimbo region, in Chile, receives a rainfall of 110mm (annual mean), winter rains, which allow only small scale cereal cropping and pastures for goat and sheep raising. However, thanks to subtle irrigation processes, practiced for region used to export high value agricultural products up to workers and facilities settled in the northern arid area of the ground occupation and soil uses, throughout the colonial era Chile, designed not only the land property modalities, but water usage. During the last sixty years, this system has both technical causes (artificial lakes to stockwater, cheap and with political and social causes (agrarian reform, scientific research program ‘‘Suivi de la désertification, d’
elevage caprin, gestion de la ressource en eau : trois aspects pour la définition d’une politique environnementale incluant la participation des populations dans la IVe région du Chili (ECOS-Conicyt)’’ studied theses changes and their consequences, in order to anticipate consequences and foresee negative ones: the ‘‘Limarı´ model’’ is frequently given as an example of successful economic development and is to be copied in other arid valleys. The irrigation graphic scheme of the valley of Limarı´ is hereafter presented in four dynamic figures, as one of the multidisciplinary supports for research into the wellknown problems of geographic and economic balance between rural and urban development, between irrigated and arid areas, and upon the long range effects of the disconnectionbetween land rights andwater rights. Thenewsocial and economic order will be effected as a consequence of the relationship between new technical applications and new laws and rights. This graphic demonstration is contrived to organise and discuss available information about water, energy, irrigated areas and regulation by law.