Life on the Lakeshore

Here's a different perspective on life for some on the Lakeshore:

While taking in a gorgeous unobstructed view from her back doorstep, Maria del Rosario Diaz rattles off the hardships she and her family have suffered as summer rains have pushed Lake Chapala beyond their personal comfort zone.

With Lake Chapala lapping at her doorstep, Maria del Rosario Diaz relates family hardship that comes with living on the edge. A survey conducted by Chapala’s Civil Protection Unit reveals that several hundred residents inhabit irregular settlements along the shoreline and the borders of other natural waterways.
A couple of weeks ago she watched helplessly as rising waters swept away the rustic outdoor shelter where she hand washed her laundry. Before that, weeks of constant wave action gradually consumed more than half the family’s small summer corn crop.

While Diaz is mighty grateful that the lake is finally subsiding after coming within inches of sloshing inside the living area of the tiny lakefront shack in Riberas del Pilar that gives shelter to her brood, Diaz is far from thrilled at having to keep an eye out for the tangles of ugly water snakes with whom she now shares the scant patch of rocky grounds at the lake’s edge.

According to a census conducted last week by the municipality’s Civil Protection Unit, the Diaz clan is just one example of the scores of impoverished families that are living in truly precarious circumstances by inhabiting irregular settlements perched along shoreline and at the borders of Chapala’s winding Arroyo San Marcos.

According to Civil Protection chief Osvaldo Sandoval, the survey revealed that 36 families made up of approximately 100 children and adults live in shacks and more solid structures along te waterfront in Riberas del Pilar. Another 55 families, totaling 236 individuals, are living in homes that invade the legal boundaries of the Arroyo San Marcos.

During the census process, Civil Protection issued official notifications warning occupants of the dangers they face from the forces of nature. In a few isolated cases, families recently retreated to higher ground after the lake flooded their abodes. Many others, however, continue risking life and limb. As poverty initially drove them to take up residence in prohibited zones, so it limits the options for moving to safer spots.

Diaz, for example, says she lives rent free in exchange as acting as caretaker for the property “owner.” The site clearly falls within the limits of the lakefront federal zone, which may be held by private individuals under a concession title issued by the National Water Commission.

The census will eventually cover the entire municipality, fulfilling various objectives. First and foremost it provides the agency with vital information to identify areas prone to natural and industrial disasters and develop emergency response strategies. The data is uploaded into a highly sophisticated computer program, which maps out the municipality’s “Atlas of High Risk Zones.” Conforming to an established two-year calendar, the atlas will be fully updated by the end of the year to include current hydrological studies, definition of geological zones, densely populated areas, places utilized for sanitary services and the storage of dangerous chemical substances.

Information gathering provides a basis for assessing existing problems and possible corrective measures, issuing appropriate warnings to citizens, businesses and government agencies, and guiding the city planning department in the issuance of building and development permits. Sandoval says the city now requires an official resolution on civil protection issues before authorizing new residential developments.

In addition, the civil protection unit and the municipal civil protection council must adhere to clearly defined steps in order to qualify for the declaration of a public emergency and the federal fund for disaster relief.

I read that. We're very blessed.