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The irrigated agriculture in arid and semiarid areas of Mexico supplied by groundwater sources in the past 50 years has brought social and economic benefits; however, groundwater overdraft has induced depletion of aquifers and water salinization. In this paper, some strategies implemented by the Mexican government are described to manage groundwater extraction focusing not only to increase water productivity with an ambitious plan for irrigation modernization, but also, a better planning and supervision with the incorporation of legal aspects to adequate water rights to reality. The establishment of a legal framework, the participation of organized water users, complemented with a process of awareness about preserving groundwater resources and the modernization of irrigation districts reduced the deficit of the recharge-extraction of important aquifers that supply important irrigation districts in Northwest Mexico. However, coordinated efforts, among federal, states, and local governments, with strong participation of irrigation users are required to improve the groundwater management and sustainability at long term.
