Ethnography and Traditional Hydraulic Systems of the M’zab, Algeria: An Integrated Approach to Water Resource Management

Situated in the Algerian Sahara, the M’zab Valley is a limestone plateau crisscrossed by intricate branching ravines, earning it the Arabic name šabka (‘network’). This region is characterised by long periods of drought, interspersed with rare high floods. Unlike other oases in the Sahara, the water tables in the M’zab Valley have a very limited natural regeneration capacity. The inhabitants, therefore, had to demonstrate remarkable ingenuity in managing water through highly sophisticated hydraulic systems. Paradoxically, the local population (called Mozabites) had to face periodic floods that were and still are infrequent yet extraordinarily violent. This study shows that the Mozabites used the groundwater as underground reservoirs, protected from evaporation during hot spells and infestation of insects. The water tables were recharged by the water of dams built by the local population. An efficient distribution network ensures equitable irrigation within the palm groves and prevents water wastage. All possible means were put to use to rationalise water consumption. Another finding of this study is that the hydraulic structures for collecting, drawing, and distributing water operate as a cohesive unit, where each component relies on the others to function properly and efficiently.