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Conjunctive use of surface and ground water resources in a community-managed irrigation system — The case of the Sidi Okba palm grove in the Algerian Sahara

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  • Hamamouche, Meriem Farah
  • Kuper, Marcel
  • Riaux, Jeanne
  • Leduc, Christian

Abstract

Surface water and groundwater for irrigation are frequently used conjunctively, especially in semiarid and arid regions. Planning conjunctive management involves several difficulties, one of which is adapting irrigation institutions and infrastructure to coordinate the management of multiple water resources. This article focuses on the social and material dimensions of the conjunctive use of multiple water resources in a community-managed irrigation system when integrating new water resources. It explores the way the physical characteristics of these new water resources shape and are shaped by human-made arrangements, in particular irrigation institutions and infrastructure. The study was conducted in the ancient palm grove of Sidi Okba, located close to the city of Biskra in the Algerian Sahara. This palm grove has a long irrigation history based on the exploitation of several water resources: floodwater, intentional dam releases, uncontrolled dam leakages, and groundwater. Despite state interventions based on a mono-resource view of the irrigation system, the irrigation community developed the conjunctive use of multiple resources. Throughout its eventful history, the community adapted the irrigation institutions and infrastructure inherited from the spate irrigation period to incorporate new water resources. It also acquired the ability to negotiate with the state to manage its own system of water allocation and distribution. The social practices inherited from surface water irrigation played a crucial role in the integration of groundwater in the irrigation network. This study concludes that the ability of long-standing irrigation communities to renew their irrigation systems and to adapt to different global changes is decisive in explaining the sustainability of these systems. However, the boundaries of these irrigation systems changed with the incorporation of groundwater pumped from the confined aquifers, which means that the water resources cannot only be managed at the local level, putting at risk the sustainability of such irrigation systems.

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  • Hamamouche, Meriem Farah & Kuper, Marcel & Riaux, Jeanne & Leduc, Christian, 2017. "Conjunctive use of surface and ground water resources in a community-managed irrigation system — The case of the Sidi Okba palm grove in the Algerian Sahara," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 193(C), pages 116-130.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:193:y:2017:i:c:p:116-130
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2017.08.005
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    1. Hamamouche, Meriem Farah & Kuper, Marcel & Amichi, Hichem & Lejars, Caroline & Ghodbani, Tarik, 2018. "New reading of Saharan agricultural transformation: Continuities of ancient oases and their extensions (Algeria)," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 210-223.
    2. Houda Mazhoud & Fraj Chemak & Hatem Belhouchette & Roza Chenoune, 2022. "A Bio-Economic Model for Improving Irrigated Durum Wheat Performance and Regional Profits under Mediterranean Conditions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-25, April.
    3. Abbas Afshar & Mina Khosravi & Amir Molajou, 2021. "Assessing Adaptability of Cyclic and Non-Cyclic Approach to Conjunctive use of Groundwater and Surface water for Sustainable Management Plans under Climate Change," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 35(11), pages 3463-3479, September.
    4. Boutelhig, Azzedine & Hanini, Salah & Arab, Amar Hadj, 2018. "Geospatial characteristics investigation of suitable areas for photovoltaic water pumping erections, in the southern region of Ghardaia, Algeria," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PA), pages 235-245.
    5. Rossetto, Rudy & De Filippis, Giovanna & Triana, Federico & Ghetta, Matteo & Borsi, Iacopo & Schmid, Wolfgang, 2019. "Software tools for management of conjunctive use of surface- and ground-water in the rural environment: integration of the Farm Process and the Crop Growth Module in the FREEWAT platform," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 1-1.
    6. Vos, Jeroen & Boelens, Rutgerd & Venot, Jean-Philippe & Kuper, Marcel, 2020. "Rooted water collectives: Towards an analytical framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    7. Meriem Farah Hamamouche & Nicolas Faysse & Marcel Kuper & Caroline Lejars & Mostafa Errahj & Zakaria Kadiri & Nadhira Ben Aissa & Ahmed Benmihoub, 2023. "Local development organisations in Saharan regions of North Africa: Expanding horizons," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(1), pages 79-96, January.

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