Los Laurales Canyon

The San Diego-Tijuana U.S.-Mexico border region is one of the most dynamic urban centers of the world. In the Tijuana-San Diego region, natural boundaries such as watersheds are bisected by the national borders posing unique challenges for the management of ecosystems and scarce natural resources like water. In recent years, accelerated population growth, mostly unplanned development (i.e., Colonias) and infrastructure gaps in the binational Tijuana River Watershed have led to chronic problems of crossborder flows of sediment, trash and hazardous waste. A prime example of a Colonia is the Laureles Canyon in the City of Tijuana, where large populations lack many basic services and inadequate management of sewage, hazardous substances and solid waste pose chronic risk of exposure to pathogens and environmental toxicants to communities on both sides of the border. In addition, the wastes that flow across the border into the U.S. directly impact the Tijuana Estuary nat ure preserve, a wetland that supports a myriad of rare and endangered species. This gallery contains photos of Los Laureles Canyon and other parts of the border region.