Water harvesting and conservation: Evaluation of the Tunisian experience

The Tunisian experience with water resources and the constraints to their development and management are reviewed with updated figures. Land resources inventory and distribution are analyzed with respect to factors favoring land degradation. The combination of surface water resources and increasing land degradation with increasing water demand led to the need for water harvesting techniques, using small hydraulic structures. The Tunisian traditional water harvesting techniques are summarized with respect to their history, importance and distribution within the country as well as to various factors such as rainfall distribution. An overview of the evaluation of some techniques is presented focusing mainly on their evolution and on relevant results of research programs conducted in the country in the last four decades. The overall experience and programs of water harvesting activities and progress accomplished in Tunisia are evaluated from the different perspectives, focusing on the technical, environmental, economic and social dimensions. The national strategy for water harvesting and conservation in the future is presented, along with its guidelines, specific features and recommendations for improvement. Finally, inferences regarding the transfer of the Tunisian experience to benefit similar regions are made along with the potential and anticipated results.