The north-western Sahara aquifer system: concerted management of a transboundary water basin

The North-western Sahara aquifer system (NWSAS) shared by Algeria, Libya and Tunisia contains considerable water reserves; however, it is largely unrenewable and not fully exploitable. This resource is now confronting many risks due to thirty years of exploitation, including water salinity and piezometric level fall, which seriously threaten the sustainability of socio-economic development in the region.

This publication presents the main results obtained from the NWSAS project, a group effort from all three countries to improve knowledge information exchange, initially on scientific issues, relating to the acquifer system. Aspects of the project include hydrogeological data collection, analysis and synthesis, elaboration of a common database and information system, in addition to the development and exploitation of the NWASAS mathematical model. Also included is the establishment of a consultation mechanism for the basin's joint management and a socio-economic and environmental study.

The authors conclude by highlighting the need for the establishment of a sustainable development plan for the region, which would consider water potential, operation risk management and agricultural improvement.