Renewal of community-based artificial recharge with its principles of circularity and water sharing˸ the case of an oasis in the M'zab valley (Algeria)

This study highlights the resilience of community-based artificial aquifer recharge systems, exemplified by the ancient oasis of Beni Isguen in Algeria's M'Zab Valley. It demonstrates that long-term sustainability requires collective action and a delicate balance between water availability and use, principles increasingly threatened by individual pumping and entrepreneurial agriculture. The research employs an interdisciplinary socio-hydrological framework, integrating social water management and circular economy concepts to co-construct knowledge with local communities. Key findings underscore the importance of inclusive governance for responsible water use, the potential for circular infrastructure in new agricultural extensions, and the added value of blending scientific expertise with experiential knowledge. The study suggests that traditional oasian principles of water sharing and circularity offer sustainable alternatives to conventional development paradigms, which often prioritize energy-intensive hydraulic technologies over ecosystem preservation.

Saidani, A. Renouveau de la recharge artificielle communautaire et ses principes de circularité et de partage de l’eau ˸ cas d’une oasis de la vallée du M’zab (Algérie). https://doi.org/10.70675/0e07c6ceza674z4209zbb5dzbcb1d0ff42ea