The Contribution of Purified Wastewater in the Valorization of Degraded Steppe Rangelands Case Study of the Mécheria Region (Western Algeria)

Abstract

Steppe rangelands in the Naâma region have suffered continuous and accentuated degradation in recent years, reducing biological potential by causing a disturbance of the ecological and socio economic order. This critical situation makes it necessary to opt for a new approach to compensate for water scarcity by using unconventional water resources such as the reuse of treated wastewater. Through this work, we try to study the impact of purified domestic wastewater from the Mécheria wastewater treatment plant (West Algeria) on the valorization of degraded rangelands that are downstream of this plant. The results obtained show the qualitative and quantitative contribution of purified water in steppe areas which results in a high specific richness and a significant production of plant material that can be used as fodder for livestock feeding. To take advantage of this, the farmers can practice alternative grazing by dividing the spreading area into sub-plots which will be irrigated and dried alternately, the herds range in the dry plots only. The second method consists of harvesting standing forage vegetation, and use in livestock feed after drying.