Starting in 1917, water became a subject in the agenda of government institutions in Mexico: the Ministry of Water, Land, and Settlements was created in the 1917 Constitution. In 1926 it was renamed National Irrigation Commission. In 1946, the Ministry of Hydraulic Resources would take on the functions of the preceding commission. Afterwards, the Ministry of Agriculture and Hydraulic Resources would derive from it in 1976. Finally, the National Water Commission (Conagua), was instituted in 1989, and operates to this day. All of the latter were instated with budget and administrative autonomy, with the power to modify the hydrological layout of the country, divert and channel rivers, dry up and re-flood lakes, drain aquifers, supply and stop the supply in any settlements. Changing names and sometimes capacity, the federal institution in charge of handling water dealt with the same matter that gave rise to it in the first place: managing water in relation to the land, thereby allowing settlement endeavors under the aegis of the common good. [...]
Conagua
in ENCYCLOPEDIA