Archivo Histórico y Biblioteca Central del Agua CONAGUA

History and Founding

The Archivo Histórico y Biblioteca Central del Agua is an institution affiliated with the Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) of Mexico. The Archivo Histórico was formally created in 1994, while the Biblioteca Central del Agua was established in 1986 with documents from the Dirección de Agrología of the Secretaría de Recursos Hidráulicos. Both acervos are held in a historic building at Balderas 94, Centro Histórico, Mexico City, originally constructed in the late 19th century and inaugurated by President Porfirio Díaz in 1906. The building is a recognized Patrimonio Histórico of Mexico City and is part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Center. In 2017, the archive received the Memoria del Mundo de México recognition.

Collections and Holdings

The Archivo Histórico holds more than 240,000 expedientes organized in seven documentary funds, spanning from 1558 to 1999, with the densest holdings covering 1888 to 1999. These funds include: Aprovechamientos Superficiales, Aguas Nacionales, Infraestructura Hidráulica, Comisión del Río Grijalva, Consultivo Técnico, Comisión del Río Papaloapan, and Colección Fotográfica. The photographic collection comprises approximately 120,000 images; the cartographic collection holds approximately 80,000 items. The Biblioteca Central del Agua holds over 30,000 references in six collections, covering 1871 to the present, with more than 15,000 specialized studies and projects from 1926 to 2005.

Notable Materials

The archive holds early hydraulic management documents from the colonial era and contains items signed by President Porfirio Díaz. Its photographic collection documents Mexico's hydraulic infrastructure development across different historical periods. Materials of particular journalistic relevance include records of public water debates, irrigation project announcements, and infrastructure reporting across the 20th century.

Access and Usage

The archive offers in-room consultation, online catalogs, reprography, specialized advisory services, exhibitions, and guided tours. It is open to the general public at no cost.