Drinking Water in the Southern Extreme of Gran Chaco: The Consolidation of a Hydrosocial Palimpsest, 1930-1960

Abstract

This study delves into the decades of the 1930s and 1940s, when hydraulic modernization initiatives, driven by the need for water supply and hygienic ideas, radically transformed the landscape and socio-economic structure in the southernmost part of the Gran Chaco, encompassing parts of the provinces of Córdoba, San Luis, and La Rioja (Argentina). The "conquest of water" became a central component of state intervention in the region, giving rise to water systems managed by provincial and national governments. Although incomplete, this process heightened conflicts and notable inequalities between benefited areas and those that barely experienced changes in access to drinking water. Through a hydrosocial and diachronic approach that transcends political boundaries, the study explores the hydrosocial territorial dynamics associated with the supply of drinking water and sanitation. The complex interactions between hydrological dynamics and human decisions are analyzed, highlighting the crucial influence of hydraulic modernization driven by the national government. Through a historiographical analysis of primary and secondary sources, including official documents, demographic records, relevant laws, scientific research, and cartography, the study contributes to a deep understanding of the environmental history of the Gran Chaco. Additionally, it provides valuable insights for future water governance policies in the region and reflects on how political decisions and power strategies have influenced not only environmental conditions but also persistent water injustices in critically important regions.