El agua de riego en la construcción del paisaje cultural en las zonas áridas del centro-oeste argentino. Un caso de estudio: Chañarmuyo, La Rioja

Abstract

Territory occupation is a complex process where human transforms and adapts their natural environment in order to inhabit it. In arid regions, one of the most important factors during this process is the obtaining and management of water. In this paper an analysis, focused in the modification of land occupation in the rural area of Chañarmuyo, viewed from the successive improvements in collection system and water distribution, is presented. An investigation of main human and institutional groups related to management models and administration of water resource is made, as well as a characterization of its cultural landscape transformation. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the water problem and its relationship with rural spatiality construction in this particular region of La Rioja