Cattle ponds of the mounts of Maria in Sucre, Colombia: alternative and traditional transformation for productive access and survival

The present study through the use of geographical information system, determines the cattle ponds presence in the municipal territories of Chalán, Colosó and Toluviejo, department of Sucre, Colombia. The study area formed part of Montes de María formation, identified as an area of tropical dry forest of the Colombian Caribbean. Were determined in total 500 units, of which the water mirror for municipality was: Chalan 0.129%, Colosó 0.143% and Toluviejo 0.42%, with a minimum range of area for unit between 0.1125 and 0.445 ha. The high dependence that the human populations have to satisfy the necessities of domestic water is demonstrated and it is compared with social variables such as: concentration of land tenure and poverty. To conclude, that the cattle ponds represents an important access system to the water of great value and importance for the study area