Mezquital Valley

The Mezquital Valley is located in the central Mexican Highlands about north of Mexico City. It covers in the west of the state of Hidalgo and small portions extending into the State of Mexico and Querétaro. With an altitude of between above sea level, it is part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. What unifies the region is its waterways, such as the Tula and Alfajayucan rivers, as well as streams such as the Alfajayucan, Arroyo Zarco, Rosas and Salado, as well as history and culture. The average annual precipitation of the valley is , less than half of the state average of . In the elevations of surrounding mountains between , the climate is temperate and moister, with rains in the summer. Below this level, the area is semi-arid steppe. The valley is drained by the Tula River. The vegetation of the valley is divided into zones. Forests of pine and oak dominate the higher mountain areas. The lower valley floor is semi-arid except for areas along riverbanks which have some tropical vegetation. In some canyons, thermal inversion also allows for a more humid climate. Dominant vegetation includes various cacti, mesquite, and maguey, as most of the valley is dry. Other important wild species include cypresses (Taxodium mucronatum and Cupressus spp.), pine (Pinus spp.), willow (Salix spp.), oak (Quercus spp.), huisache (Vachellia farnesiana), cardón (Ilex or Pachycereus spp.), barrel cactus (Echinocactus spp.), yucca (Yucca spp.), huapilla (Hechtia spp.), cucharilla (Dasylirion spp.), cat's claw (Mimosa spp.), zacate (Setaria spp. or Muhlenbergia macroura), chipil (Crotalaria spp.), pasto de agua (Potamogeton pusillus), reeds (Scirpus or Typha spp.), and various species of the family Asteraceae. It has significant biodiversity in its fauna but much is relatively unstudied. Economic development in the 20th century has caused environmental problems, especially in the south of the valley. These include air and soil pollution from an important refinery and electric power plant near the city of Tula. The most serious problem comes from wastewater which is pumped into the area from the neighboring Valley of Mexico. The wastewater comes from drainage projects that carry water out of the Valley of Mexico and dump it into the Tula River, with most of the water not treated adequately or not treated at all. The wastewater is a mix of residential and industrial water, which includes contaminants such as bacteria (such as cholera) from fecal matter and toxic chemicals. This contamination is severe enough in places to be seen and smelled. Nevertheless, the water is an important source for irrigated farming, especially in the Tula and Alfajayucan areas, with the water "treated" by letting it soak through the soil. The water causes contamination of groundwater, including water that eventually becomes part of the Pánuco River, affecting coastal lagoons on the Gulf of Mexico. ==Demographics and economy==

. The valley covers 33.7% of the state of Hidalgo and is divided politically into 27 municipalities, with a population of about 420,000. Traditionally, these Otomi are known for their handcrafts, especially the creation of textiles from ixtle fiber and the making of pulque, both from the maguey plant. Both are usually made by Otomi families who gather the raw materials and sell the finished products. The Otomi municipality of Ixmiquilpan is noted for its use of insect projects such as escamoles (ant eggs/larvae) and mezcal worms. These are often eaten in tacos or gorditas, along with various sauces. Another important food is the nopal cactus, as well as seeds and flowers from other cactus species. The Muestra Gastronómica del Valle del Mezquital, which began in 1980, is an annual demonstration of the gastronomic and cultural diversity of the valley. It is held in the community of Santiago de Anaya and includes indigenous storytelling and dance along with food. A significant percentage of the population lives under what is called usos y costumbres (uses and customs), a legal way to allow indigenous communities to keep traditional authority structures. These are concerned with community rather than individual welfare, based on systems from the pre-Hispanic and colonial periods. These particularly apply to Otomi communities. However, there have been problems with these, with sanctions deemed severe and authorities accused of being arbitrary. There have also been problems with tribal law conflicting with the rights guaranteed by the Mexican Constitution. For example, in Ixmiquilpan, Tasquillo, Nopala, Huichapan, and Chapantongo, women are not allowed to vote for community authorities. Since the latter 20th century, the valley has become an important agricultural center for the state of Hidalgo, growing corn, beans, wheat, onions, tomatoes, cactus fruit, and peaches; the valley also produces one-quarter of all green chili peppers grown in Mexico. It also produces alfalfa, principally used to feed the area's cattle. A small but important quantity of lettuce, cabbage, cilantro, radishes, carrots, spinach, and parsley is grown. There are also a number of fish farms, especially in Tezontepec de Aldama. About 61% of the population works in agriculture, which has been made possible by the diversion of wastewater from the neighboring Valley of Mexico through the Tula River. Sixty percent of the farmland is irrigated with wastewater. Thirty nine percent of the farmland is dependent on clean water sources such as wells and rain, and only 0.38 percent is irrigated with treated water. The areas most dependent on wastewater are: Actopan, Ajacuba, Alfajayucan, Atitalaquía, Atotonilco de Tula, Francisco I. Madero, Chilcuautla, Mixquihuala, San Salvador, Tasquillo, Tetepango, Tezontepec, Tlahuelilpan, and Tlaxcoapan. The areas that use wastewater are more productive, as the water contains phosphorus and nitrogen, but the products are more likely to have problems with contaminants. These contaminants also pose a risk to farm workers and their families. Economic development includes industry especially in the south. Tula has a major oil refinery as well as an electrical plant. Fabric is woven in Tepeji, cement in Cruz Azul, Atotonilco. and Huichapan. Ixmiquipan and Actopan are important regional commercial centers. Traditional handcrafts include items made from ixtle fiber, baskets, weaving, pottery, and wood items. There are water parks and hiking areas in the mountain areas, which mostly attract families from the state of Hidalgo. These include El Xicuco (between Tula and Tlahuililpan), El Hualtepec (near Huichapan), and Los Frailes (near Actopan). ==History==

The valley has been populated at least since the Mesoamerican period, especially in the south around what is now Tula. It is considered to be the northern edge of Mesoamerica, with evidence of agriculture on terraces and some irrigation, at least in Tula, as well as hunter-gatherer communities. While there has been work on a number of sites, many have been damaged or destroyed by the irrigation works related to the Tula River, as well as areas in Ixmiquilpan, Actopan, Mixquiahuala, Tlahuililpan, and Ajacuba. In the Preclassic period, there were small settlements showing influence from Chupícuaro and Ticoman. The settlement of the northwest of the valley began in the Classic period by Xajay groups with possible Chupicuaro-Mixtlan connections. The southeast was settled by those affiliated with Teotihuacan, mostly in the Tula area. While the Aztecs held sway of much of the valley in the south, they never completely subjugated the Otomis, in part because of Otomi tendency to be nomadic. However, there was trade between the two peoples. Only after the Spanish conquest did the Otomi of the valley become more settled, although to this day there are some fringe groups which still maintain much of the hunter-gatherer traditions. During the Mexican War of Independence, insurgent forces under Ignacio López Rayón made camp to Ixmiquilpan and also defeated royalist forces in the nearby village of Tamaleras, now called López Rayón. In 1854 a local uprising, especially in the communities of Orizabita and Remedios, arose in response to the excessive taxes levied by Ixmiquilpan authorities. The protesters were led by Sotero Lozano, who was called a bandit. This leader was most active in the towns of Actopan and Cardonal, his hometown. However, because of climate, the valley remained sparsely populated and very poor from the colonial period until the 20th century. In the early 20th century, a rail line was built to link the valley to Pachuca. The rail line was planned by Englishman Richard Honey, who came to Ixmiquilpan with his family to settle. The rail line was supposed to run from Pachuca to Tampico, Tamaulipas but it was built only as far as Ixmilquilpan. However, in 2011, the head of the Otomi Supreme Council in Ixmiquilpan stated that migration to the US from the area's Otomi had diminished, principally due to the US's poor economy. The valley has also had recurring conflicts over land and water resources, especially in Cardonal, Ixmiquilpan, and Tasquillo. The disputes have resulted in numerous protests and affected local elections. One major dispute is over 102 hectares of land on the border between Ixmiquilpan and El Cardonal, which has led to paramilitary groups taking over areas. ==Important locations==

Population centers The town of Ixmiquilpan is the center of the Mezquital Valley, especially its Otomi population. This parish church is typical of the fortress-style churches built by the Augustinians in the 16th century. The facade is Plateresque style with paired columns and with a window in the choir area. The bell tower is annexed and joined with the facade. It has a crown and bell gables. Imagery that is repeated here is that of holy war with Eagle and Jaguar warriors, as well as images associated with the sun and moon gods. The modern city is a regional economic center and has been listed as one of the fastest growing in Mexico by the National Commission of Population. Much of the reason for this is the existence of a refinery and a thermoelectric plant. The city is centered around the parish and former monastery of San Jose, with the oldest part built between 1546 and 1556. The main facade has three arches, pilasters with reliefs, a curved pediment, and a chapel annex that takes from the 17th century. The cloister of the monastery has two levels with arches and fresco murals. Inside the main church, a modern mural called "Jesus" is located at the main altar. Much of the site's historical importance comes from the fact that its civilization was highly respected by the Aztecs who followed – the Aztecs used the terms "Tula" and "Toltec" to indicate an urban space and a skilled person, respectively. The modern archaeological site consists of the ceremonial center of Tula Grande, an area called Tula Chico, the Jorge R. Acosta site museum, and the Guadalupe Mastache orientation center. The ceremonial center of the city is located on a limestone outcropping, with steep banks on three sides, making it defensible. War and sacrifice are prominent themes at the site, with images representing warriors such as jaguars and coyotes, as well as eagles eating human hearts. There are also images of serpents eating skeletal figures and skulls in various areas. ==References==