Management of groundwater resources in relation to oasis sustainability: The case of the Nefzawa region in Tunisia

Mekki, Insaf; Jacob, Frédéric; Marlet, Serge; Ghazouani, Wafa

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.02.041

Cited by 38 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 34 publications

(50 reference statements)

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“…Currently, the 45 water extraction rate far exceeds the water recharge rate, resulting in gradual aquifer depletion, degraded 46 water quality and seawater intrusion (Ben Alaya et al 2014;Agoubi et al 2013;Werner et al 2013). 47 Another negative impact is the degradation of oasis ecosystems, which are strongly related to groundwater 48 (Abdedaiem 2016;Mekki et al 2013). 49 The objective of this study was to improve the groundwater resources management in the Gabes area, taking 50 into account the needs of socioeconomic activities and the sustainable preservation of coastal oasis 51 ecosystems (Vernoux et al 2017c).…”

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confidence: 99%

Numerical groundwater flow modeling for managing the Gabes Jeffara aquifer system (Tunisia) in relation with oasis ecosystems

2020

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8The Gabes Jeffara aquifer system, in southeastern Tunisia, is essentially recharged by rainfall infiltration 9 and by groundwater inflow from the Intercalary Continental aquifer in the northwest. The increase in 10 groundwater pumping for irrigation in recent decades has induced a serious decrease in groundwater levels, 11 depletion of springs and degradation of oasis ecosystems. A multidisciplinary study was carried out to better 12 understand the behavior of oasis ecosystems and aquifer systems and to provide tools and recommendations 13 for water resources management. An important part of the study was devoted to developing a hydrodynamic 14 flow model of the Jeffara aquifer system, which can be used as a future groundwater management tool 15 considering different recharge or exploitation scenarios. This model was built with Processing Modflow, 16 gathering data on geology, hydrogeology, hydrology, rainfall, piezometry, withdrawals and spring flow 17 rates. The model was calibrated in steady state with reference to the piezometric levels measured in 1970 18 and in transient state for the period 1972-2014, using records from more than 200 wells and piezometers. 19 The analysis of current and future water consumption was carried out with existing data, processed satellite 20 images and farmer surveys. This analysis was used to define water demand scenarios combined with 21 scenarios of decreased groundwater withdrawal, reinforced groundwater recharge and use of alternative 22 water resources. The scenarios tested with the model show that the situation will be critical in less than 25 23 years without radical measures to reduce groundwater withdrawals by at least 60 MCM/y. 24 25

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Numerical groundwater flow modeling for managing the Gabes Jeffara aquifer system (Tunisia) in relation with oasis ecosystems

2020

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“…A ‘euphoric' agricultural development was thus well under way in the early 1990s in the Nezaoua (Bisson, ). Some 25 years later, agricultural development in the south of Tunisia is still booming around the profitable deglet nour date palm variety (Mekki et al, ), but there is no real indication on how this pioneer fringe continues to operate. In El Ghrouss, a comparison with the data provided by Khiari () indicates that the surface area under greenhouses has not substantially changed from 2000 to 2015 and has even slightly decreased.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Oasis Archipelago to Pioneering Eldorado in Algeria's Sahara

Amichi

Bouarfa²,

Kuper

et al. 2018

Irrigation and Drainage

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Since the 1980s, the Biskra region in Algeria's Sahara has undergone rapid agricultural change leading to territorial transformation. Horticultural production under greenhouses, associated with a rapid expansion of date palm plantations, has led to a tangible agricultural boom that is constantly pushing the boundaries of agricultural production and constitutes a true pioneering fringe. To understand the pioneering logics at work, we propose to study the pioneer fringe through three fronts, namely land, water and infrastructure. First, we analyse each front separately in order to understand its logic. In a second step, through three illustrations, we show how these fronts interpenetrate, accelerate one another or, on the contrary, constrain the pioneer fringe. The analysis of the advance of the pioneering fringe has shown that it results from the interweaving of the three main fronts and each of these combines both the actions of the state and private initiative. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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“…A number of researchers has described the expansion of oases and their driving factors in arid areas. Natural factors are recognized as the most persistent factors in these areas, and an increasing number of studies have shown that anthropogenic activities have become a much more active force, promoting the landscape changes in recent years (Kang et al, 2008;Lu et al, 2003;Mekki et al, 2013). Several previous studies have characterized the socioeconomic factors of the expansion of oases by quality analysis, GIS techniques and statistical modelling (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…regressions, correlation, principle component analysis), such as population growth, economic development, industrial policies and land use policy (i.e. the Grain for Green Program in China and land privatization policies in Tunisia) (Cheng et al, 2006;Mekki et al, 2013;Wang & Wang, 2013;Zhang et al, 2003;Zhao et al, 2013;Zuo et al, 2014). These conventional analyses permit the identification of the determinants of the expansion independently, but cannot address complex interactions among these factors which will have significant effects on the land use behaviour.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Water is the most limiting resource for oasis sustainability (Maeda et al, 2011;Mekki et al, 2013;Nian et al, 2014). The availability of water is the dominant factor in the expansion of oases because of the high water demands of the increased cropland area (Jia et al, 2004) and plays a decisive role in the development and use of land resources (Wang & Wang, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human Driving Forces of Oasis Expansion in Northwestern China During the Last Decade—A Case Study of the Heihe River Basin

2016

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Water scarcity is one of the most prominent issues worldwide in relation to sustainable development, especially in arid areas. To gain a better understanding of the trade-off between improving agricultural productivity and maintaining the stability of an oasis ecosystem in these areas, this study took the Heihe River Basin in northwestern China as a case to explore the changes in oasis dynamics and their human driving forces. The results showed that along with the 11·0% expansion of agricultural land, the total water demand for irrigation increased by 6·3% during 2000-2010. Although tremendous economic incentives for farmers spurred the oasis expansion and cropping system changes, the key driving force behind the oasis expansion in the study area was closely related to sufficient irrigation water guaranteed by new water sources (excessive consumption of groundwater and surface water) and water conservation efforts that were the results of the "water-saving society" project (cropping system adjustments and technological improvements in irrigation). This loose regulation of water resource management can be considered to be partially attributable to the ignorance of the ecological value of water resources. Sustainable land use in the study area can only be achieved through the strict regulation of the management of surface water and groundwater resources throughout the basin and the invisible water provided by the water conservation measures.

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Management of groundwater resources in relation to oasis sustainability: The case of the Nefzawa region in Tunisia

Cited by 38 publications

References 34 publications

Numerical groundwater flow modeling for managing the Gabes Jeffara aquifer system (Tunisia) in relation with oasis ecosystems

Numerical groundwater flow modeling for managing the Gabes Jeffara aquifer system (Tunisia) in relation with oasis ecosystems

From Oasis Archipelago to Pioneering Eldorado in Algeria's Sahara

Human Driving Forces of Oasis Expansion in Northwestern China During the Last Decade—A Case Study of the Heihe River Basin

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