Use of Groundwater in the Algerian Desert Regions

Abstract

Water is regarded as one of the basic elements for life on the surface of the Earth, and its presence increases in significance in desert areas featured by harsh nature. Where there is an important rise in temperatures and a lack of precipitation, which results in water scarcity. Therefore, the need arises to extract groundwater to exploit it for drinking and irrigating agricultural lands.

The groundwater network in the Algerian desert extends over an area estimated at about 2 million km2 and is one of the largest water reservoirs in the world. Accordingly, desert groundwater provides about 95 percent of the water consumption needs of the population in the desert regions of Algeria.

Among the desert areas abundant with significant groundwater in Algeria, we mention the Ain Salah region. Its groundwater contributed greatly to the local development of the region and encouraged population stability. This prompted the Algerian authorities to give great significance to the completion of a huge project: the extension of a transportation pipeline—groundwater from the Ain Salah region to Tamanrasset, a distance of approximately 750 km.