The Status Of Traditional Irrigation Systems And The Impact Of Modern Systems In The Maghrar Oases, Southwest Algeria

Abstract

 The traditional water irrigation system is a fundamental element of oasis life in southwestern Algeria. The traditional management of water resources in the oasis of Moghrar Tehteni has been fundamentally questioned in public and academic discourse. Deep transformations in the social, cultural, and economic fabric, along with the demands of modern life, exert numerous constraints on oasis water resources.

The increasing need for irrigation water is generating an imbalanced water situation. As a result, modern irrigation systems such as boreholes and motor pumps have been adopted to meet these growing demands. However, the impact of modern irrigation systems on the oases includes the salinity phenomenon, drying up of foggaras and wells, and morphological changes in the oasis land. This study aims to provide an overview of the foggaras in the region and offer recommendations for the preservation and maintenance of this system as a shared heritage of humanity and history.