El agua y los territorios hídricos en la Región Metropolitana de Santiago de Chile. Casos de estudio: Tiltil, Valle de Mallarauco y San Pedro de Melipilla

Abstract

The rural area of the Santiago Metropolitan Region is a combination of natural, social, economic and technical factors that give origin to several territories. If we consider those in which water resources play a significant role in carrying out agricultural activity, several different «water territories» can be identified in the Tiltil, Valle de Mallarauco and San Pedro de Melipilla areas. In these cases the study allowed us to shed light upon and discuss several important points regarding the territorial approach to water resources and water management in a model that favors the actions of private parties, such as: the extension of the agricultural use of the water resources, the conflicts and problems over its control and the resulting water territories that have come about as a result of the various assessments of a liberal management system. This has been done with the intention of contributing, from a Geographical point of view, thoughts geared towards achieving a comprehensive and sustainable management of the water resources in Chile.