Afficher l'article

The rising increase in groundwater abstraction to serve the industrial sector and to fulfill the agricultural and domestic needs, coupled with severe drought periods during the past decades, leads to a growing deficit of water. The drawdown of piezometric levels and progressing degradation of water quality are the main consequences of such intensive exploitation. In this connection, the present study emphasizes the major effects of groundwater resource overexploitation in Southern Tunisia, and it evaluates its impacts on the ancient mkayel “Foggara” system. Although it is crucial role in various aspects of modern society, especially in Gafsa basin (“El Guettar region”, central of Tunisia), this system is facing an increasing abandonment with the introduction of new technologies in response to the irrational exploitation. The mkayel are particularly susceptible to impairment by groundwater withdrawals with …