WHEN THE FOGGARA ENSURES THE WATER SECURITY OF THE OASES

B. REMINI

Abstract


This article evokes for the first time the water security of oases ensured by foggara. It was during our many visits to the oases of the Algerian Sahara that we discovered the important role played by the foggara in the rational management of water. During the period 1998-2022, surveys and interviews were conducted with the ksourian population, the owners of the foggaras and the elderly people who lived through the era of the digging of the foggaras. The consultation of the archives and the very rich data in information has been beneficial for our research work. The results obtained from this study are original. The oasis is one of the first regions on the planet that has ensured its water security thanks to foggara. This ancestral hydraulic system designed in a hostile region has allowed water to flow continuously in quantity and quality and without damaging the environment. This durable hydraulic structure that evolves over time is made up of two parts: collection – transport and distribution of water. The upstream part is made up of a ramified gallery network that changes each time there is a water deficit. The downstream part is made up of a triangular network of seguias, which divides the water into micro quantities. The water of a foggara is of very good quality due to its flow in the gallery of several kilometers and the absence of storage and stagnation of water.


Keywords


Foggara, Water Security, Oasis, Sahara, Water, Food security.

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References


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