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Mapping Groundwater Resources: Tunisia

Chapter · January 2005

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Moncef Zairi
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18 Mapping
Groundwater
Resources: Tunisia

GENERAL INFORMATION

❖ Implementing Institution:
Ecole nationale d’ingénieurs de Sfax

❖ Head:
Boubake El-Euch

❖ Details of Institution:
Address: Ecole nationale d’ingénieurs de Sfax,
B.P:w.3038, Sfax, Tunisia

Tel.: (+216) 74 274 088

Fax: (+216) 74 275 595

E-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.universites.tn/enis/

❖ Implementation Period: The initiative lasted 33

months, from June 2001 to March 2004.

❖ Costs:
The total cost of the project, which was supported
by the Government of Italy in cooperation with the
Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of Tunisia,
was some US$4.8 million.
219
220 V O LU M E 11: E XAMPLES OF S UCCESSFUL E XPERIENCES IN P ROVIDING S AFE D RINKING WATER

SUMMARY field investigations and laboratory analy-

ses were then implemented to complete
The integrated study of the groundwater the data-gathering component of the
resources of the Sfax region of Tunisia is project. These data were then fed into a
part of a larger programme for the devel- database and analysed to determine
opment of regions of the Sahara and the whether the groundwater systems identi-
south of Tunisia financed with the coop- fied were being overexploited or not and,
eration of the Government of Italy. given predictions for future trends in pop-
ulation growth and water requirements in
The main objectives of the project the region, whether aquifer water could
were to identify the groundwater sustainably supply these needs.
resources of the Sfax region, to define
their quantitative and qualitative charac-
teristics, to develop a rational scheme BAC KG RO U N D A N D
based on computerized tools for the use J U S T I F I C AT I O N
and management of these resources, and
to provide training for the engineers and In Tunisia, particularly in the south of the
technicians of the General Directorate of country, groundwater is the main water
Water Resources (DGRE). resource and is used by agriculture (80
The methodology developed to reach per cent), industry (10 per cent) and
these objectives was based on a multidis- domestically (5 to 10 per cent).
ciplinary approach using a variety of The Sfax region, located on the east
exploration techniques. Further studies, coast of the country (fig. 1), has an
underground water system composed of a
Tabarka deep confined aquifer and 15 water tables
Tunis or surface aquifers that are delimited by
TUNISIA Sousse their respective catchment areas.
Kairouan
Recently, water management authori-
Area of Sfax
the study ties have been facing problems associated
Gafsa with declining water quality and increas-
Tozeur Gabès
ing demand for water through population
and economic growth and the improved
standards of living that accompany
such changes. Indeed, although some 10
million cubic metres of water were
pumped from a deep-lying aquifer each
year from 1978 to 1986, between 1987
and 2003, this quantity increased to some
Figure 1. Location map of the project 26 million cubic metres (fig. 2).
study area.
 Mapping Groundwater Resources: Tunisia 221

30,00 Ensuring the sustainable management

Exploitation (m3)

25,00
of the groundwater resources requires an
20,00
understanding of the behaviour of water
15,00
10,00
in the underground systems. Owing to
5,00 the large size of the project area (fig. 1)
0,00 and the quantity of data needed to char-
1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004
acterize the aquifers properly, particular-
ly those that are being highly exploited,
Figure 2. Annual exploitation of the Sfax deep aquifer.
the use of computerized tools is neces-
The 15 surface aquifers are also sary. Hence, the first phase of the current
believed to be overexploited, especially project was to construct a hydrogeologi-
near the coast. In addition, the quality of cal database based on locations mapped
the water that they contain has become precisely using a geographic information
degraded owing to their increased system (GIS). The combination of these
exploitation through the construction of techniques permitted the processing and
new pumping wells, the intrusion of interpretation of the data gathered during
seawater and the infiltration of water that the remainder of the project, including
has been used to irrigate crops. data collected from deep and shallow
borings, seismic tests, piezometer read-
Until recently, the lack of any ings and geoelectrical profiles.
synthesis, interpretation and archiving of
data concerning these aquifers led to the The ultimate aim of the project is to
lack of an accurate description of them. define both the safe and sustainable
This, in turn, led to the region’s water groundwater yield for the aquifers of the
resources being undervalued and hence Sfax region and the areas from which they
to difficulties in establishing a suitable are recharged. Protecting these recharge
management plan. areas, for example through soil conserva-
tion techniques, and improving the rate of
Against this background, the regional infiltration of water down to the aquifers
water resources management authority will help to protect the aquifers them-
was facing a major problem in gathering, selves. To achieve these aims required the
synthesizing, interpreting and updating creation of a network for monitoring
data on the aquifers. In particular, a safe, changes in the quality and quantity of
sustainable yield of both the surface and groundwater, the identification of highly
deep aquifers was not well defined. Since vulnerable areas, the establishment of
monitoring wells and piezometers procedures to protect aquifers from
(devices used to monitor water flow and sources of pollution, and the establish-
measure water pressure in aquifers) are ment of a procedure for the effective man-
located mainly in the coastal area, the agement of groundwater data.
hydrodynamic characteristics of the
aquifers are not well defined over their
full ranges.
222 V O LU M E 11: E XAMPLES OF S UCCESSFUL E XPERIENCES IN P ROVIDING S AFE D RINKING WATER

DESCRIPTION

First, the existing hydrogeological

knowledge of the groundwater situation
in the Sfax region was examined. This
included searching for all relevant studies Sfax
carried out by both public and private
Boring
organizations in Tunisia, including aerial
Piezometer
surveys, cartography, climatology, geolo- Well
gy, groundwater chemistry, hydrology, Perforated well
geophysics, drillings and piezometric
fluctuations.
Figure 3. Map of the Sfax region showing
Beginning in October 2001, a the location of all the wells identified during
systematic inventory of all deep and a comprehensive inventory.
surface groundwater wells was also car-
ried out. By May 2002, a total of 13,326 Some 3,000 samples of water from
water sources had been inventoried and pumped wells were analysed for the
localized on digitized topographic maps presence of several elements, including
(fig. 3). During this phase of the project, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodi-
19 geological maps at a scale of 1:50,000 um, as well as bicarbonate, chloride and
were constructed on the basis of aerial sulphate ions and trace levels of bromide,
photographs and calibrated and verified iron, manganese and nitrate. Isotopic
in the field. Each map indicates the studies of hydrogen (including deuterium
precise locations of geological formations and tritium), oxygen and carbon, which
and the main faults in the region. These involve analysing the weights of different
maps were also digitized and stored in atoms of the same element, were carried
the GIS database constructed using out to determine the recharge rate of
Microsoft Access software. aquifers and their dimensions.

Data collected during the inventory Seismic mapping and geoelectrical

included the identification, characteris- measurements helped in the construction
tics and use of the water wells and an of completely new maps of the deep
assessment of the quantity of water that reservoirs and surface aquifers, respec-
they contained. Water level, temperature, tively. These maps combined the use of
electric conductivity and pH were depth and thickness contours with
measured in situ and samples were also isochrons, or lines linking points at which
taken from wells provided with pumping the water has travelled the same amount
equipment so that more thorough of time from a given source. More than
chemical analyses could be completed in 100 geoelectrical tests also permitted the
the laboratory. identification of the groundwater zone
affected by seawater intrusion.
 Mapping Groundwater Resources: Tunisia 223

Seven piezometers were installed at

depths ranging from 400 to 800 metres
and another 48 at depths from 50 to 120
metres. These piezometers help to monitor
changes in water level and water quality.
Analysis and synthesis of the data
collected have allowed scientists at the
Ecole nationale d’ingénieurs de Sfax to
define the aquifer system of the Sfax
region.

Deep Aquifer
Figure 4. Contour map outlining the
The deep aquifer has been shown to thickness of the deep aquifer reservoir
cover an area of 14,000 square kilometres under the Sfax region.
(including an offshore part of some 3,500
square kilometres). It is contained within The model, developed using FEFLOW
bodies of sand varying in thickness, with software, was then tested using real
the maximum thickness in the central piezometric readings and water extrac-
part of the basin (fig. 4). Within this tion data recorded between 1988 and
aquifer, water flows from northwest to 2002. These provisional simulations
southeast and has a salinity that varies allowed assessments to be made on the
from 3 to 10 grammes per litre. However, state of the aquifer based on projected
in most of the basin, the salinity is less water demands from industry, agriculture
than 4.5 grammes per litre. In the south, and domestic users until 2030.
around Skhira, however, the salinity is
closer to 9 grammes per litre. Surface Aquifers
Analysis of tritium, an isotope of Before the present study, the near-surface
hydrogen, revealed the absence of an groundwater system of the Sfax region
actual refill of the aquifer. This was was thought to be composed of 15 water
confirmed using measurements of carbon tables, the limits of which were correlat-
isotopes, which suggest that the water in ed to catchment areas (fig. 5a). However,
the deep aquifer has been there for using the hydrogeological data obtained
between 14,000 and 38,000 years from the various surveys and analyses, the
without being added to and can be whole area was divided into just two
regarded as “fossil” water. water tables (fig. 5b). Water in the coastal
aquifer flows towards the sea, while water
To model the past and future
in the continental aquifer flows inland.
exploitation of the deep aquifer, piezo-
metric readings taken in 1988 were used The coastal aquifer, composed of ten
to calibrate the baseline or steady state. of the original water tables, covers an
 224 V O LU M E 11: E XAMPLES OF S UCCESSFUL E XPERIENCES IN P ROVIDING S AFE D RINKING WATER

El Hencha
Bouthadi
EL HENCHA Djebeniana
BOUTHADI MEDDALIA
DJEBENIANA Manzel Chaker El Amra
BOUJEMAL EL AMRA
MCHIGUIG Gounifida
HADJ GACEM SIDI SALAH
BLED
RAGUEB Bir Ali Sfax
SFAX AGAREB Ben Khalifa
CHAFFAR
MAHARES
Graiba Mahares
KERKENNAH
Hachichina Coastal aquifer
BIR ALI OUEDRANE Continental aquifer

SEBKNET NAOUEL Skhira 10 0 10 20 Kilometres

SKHIRA

Figure 5a. Presumed limits of the water tables of Figure 5b. Limits of the two new water tables,
Sfax, determined by the limits of watersheds; the continental and the coastal, defined by
hydrogeological characteristics.

area of 6,477 square kilometres. Its thick- The continental water table corre-
ness varies from 8 to 60 metres, with an sponds to five of the original watershed
average of 30 metres. Within the aquifer, aquifers and covers an area of 1,838
water flows from northwest to southeast square kilometres. It averages 28 metres
towards the sea and, as it does so, the in depth, with a minimum of 20 metres
salinity rises from 0.3 to 23 grammes per and a maximum of 42 metres. Currently,
litre where seawater intrusion affects the this aquifer is underexploited, with a pos-
water quality. itive balance of 6.5 million cubic metres
of water a year. The salinity of the water
As with the deep aquifer, simulations
in the continental aquifer varies from 4 to
were carried out entering the data
more than 10 grammes per litre.
collected into the models developed
using FEFLOW software. For the coastal A medium-depth aquifer was also
aquifer, the baseline was taken to be 1975 identified in three wells 150 metres
and the model was checked against data below the surface. The water in this
recorded between 1975 and 2002 and aquifer has a salinity of between 2.5 and
projected forward to 2030. These analy- 5 grammes per litre.
ses revealed that, in the case of this
coastal surface aquifer, there is already a
negative balance between inflow and PA R T N E R S H I P S
outflow and that the water table is over-
exploited by some 4 million cubic metres The project was undertaken in collabora-
a year. tion with both local and national water
 Mapping Groundwater Resources: Tunisia 225

resource management authorities. Thus, wells for exploiting groundwater is now

the research interests of the scientists at forbidden in these areas.
the Ecole nationale d’ingénieurs de Sfax
A government scheme provides
were carried out considering also the
favourable financing arrangements and
requirements of the groundwater
other inducements to farmers wishing to
management and planning authorities.
develop and expand their irrigation
The involvement of young scientists in
systems. However, in order to control
the project should also mean that trained
such development, each application for
personnel are available for future admin-
an irrigation project is carefully checked
istration positions.
against the maps produced during the
project and the local groundwater quality
REPLICABILITY and availability. Thus, GIS inputs and
other data supplied by the project are
playing a major role in the decision-mak-
The methodology developed in this ing process for the approval or rejection
study, including the computerization of of these schemes and are assisting the
data, the creation of a database, the sustainable development of the region.
utilization of GIS mapping and the
development of mathematical models for
optimizing the management of water LESSONS LEARNED
resources, can easily be replicated in
other hydrogeological basins in Tunisia
During the inventory of the wells, some
and elsewhere. Indeed, a postgraduate
farmers objected to providing informa-
student has proposed applying the
tion about their operations and water
techniques and methodologies devel-
consumption practices even though the
oped for the Sfax region to mapping the
aims of the project were explained to
hydrogeological system of the adjacent
them in an effort to gain their confi-
Sidi Bouzid region as his thesis topic.
dence. Therefore, it was necessary to
attempt to verify much of the data col-
P O L I C Y I M P L I C AT I O N S lected in this way.
Although the objective of the project
The identification of zones where the was not necessarily aimed directly at
groundwater is being highly exploited involving the public, as a consequence of
and where groundwater quality is being the general scarcity of water in Tunisia,
degraded has permitted the water the media were interested in broadcast-
management authorities to designate ing updates of the findings and recom-
protective boundaries, in particular mendations. Thus, the Tunisian public
around areas suffering from seawater can be considered to be aware of the
intrusion and those where piezometric necessity to preserve and protect the
readings are falling. The drilling of new nation’s water resources. Improper water-
226 V O LU M E 11: E XAMPLES OF S UCCESSFUL E XPERIENCES IN P ROVIDING S AFE D RINKING WATER

use practices relate mainly to the lack of project has ended. A unit has been estab-
financial resources. lished to collaborate with the local
administration to continually refine and
update the data.
I M PA C T
During the period of the project
implementation, many training work-
The project provided an assessment of shops were organized and attended by
the available groundwater in both the DGRE technicians and engineers as well
deep and surface aquifers of the Sfax as young researchers from the University
region. The comparison of this resource of Sfax. Subjects covered included the
in relation to the needs of the agricultur- use of databases, digitizing maps and GIS
al and industrial sectors and domestic use use, modelling, boring and well test activ-
has permitted the development of scenar- ities and interpretation, geophysical
ios for the optimal exploitation of these interpretation, and chemical and isotopic
water sources with the help of the math- analyses and interpretation. Thus, there is
ematical models. These models depend now a nucleus of well-trained personnel
on the wealth of information now logged in both academia and the public sector
into a specially created database contain- who will continue to apply the principles
ing the locations of wells mapped by GIS of sustainable water exploitation
and the chemical components of the throughout their careers.
water that they contain. In other words,
the collation and analysis of this data
have permitted the better management of FUTURE PLANS
the region’s water resources and have
allowed decisions to be made concerning
Three doctoral projects have been
their safe and sustainable exploitation
proposed by the University of Sfax con-
until at least 2030. Such sustainable uti-
cerning: the follow-up of the qualitative
lization of resources is the basis of
and quantitative survey of the region’s
economic, environmental and social
water tables; the characterization and
success. Environmental sustainability has
modelling of seawater intrusions into the
been ensured by the implementation of a
coastal aquifer; and the construction of a
development plan that aims to prevent
model for water resource management in
the deterioration of water quality by the
the region. These studies will add to the
intrusion of seawater into the coastal
fundamental knowledge required for the
surface zone or by the intensive use of
sustainable development of the region’s
agrochemicals in sensitive areas.
water resources.
Another major achievement of the
There are also plans to begin collab-
project has been to ensure that the
orations with university researchers in
studies and measurements are continuing
both France and Spain.
even after the contractual period of the
 Mapping Groundwater Resources: Tunisia 227

P U B L I C AT I O N S Case Study Prepared by:

During the project period, ten master’s Moncef Zairi

degrees were awarded to students: Address: Ecole nationale d’ingénieurs de
Sfax, B.P:w.3038, Sfax, Tunisia
Ben Akacha, M.: Study of the mio-plio- Tel.: (+216) 74 274 088
quaternary series and tectonic and mor- Fax: (+216) 74 275 595
phologic evolution in the region of E-mail: [email protected]
plateau of Agareb and Sfax plain;
Bouaziz, S.: Construction of a geograph- Project Participants:
ic information system for the study of the Hamed Ben Dhia, director of the
geology of Sfax; university team.
Ghribi, R.: Geomorphologic and neotec- Moncef Zairi, technical coordinator
tonic study of the exoreic wadis of the of the university team: Calibration and
meridional part of Sfax plain; verifications of mathematical models,
Hajji, S.: Modelling of the deep aquifer training field teams and writing reports.
of Sfax; Samir Bouaziz, Raouf Ghribi and
Hassine, S.: The management of the Saloua Bouaziz: Used aerial photos to
water resources of the Chaffar water table; produce 19 geological maps at a scale
of 1:50,000.
Karray, I.: Study of the environmental
vulnerability of the Skhira water table; Mourad Bedir and Nabil Ghorbel:
Analysed and reinterpreted the existing
Smida, H.: Contribution of the GIS to seismic and electrical geophysical data.
the study and management of water N. Ghorbel also verified and interpreted
resources: Case of the Chaffar water table; geoelectrical data.
Trabelsi, N.: Construction of geographic Kamel Zouari: Conducted the isotopic
information system for the deep aquifer investigations.
of Sfax;
Samia Tagina: Coordinated the field
Trabelsi, R.: Hydrogeology of the teams for inventorying the wells and
phreatic aquifer at the North of Sfax: collecting other data.
Mineralisation and marine intrusion
evolution; Hamda Trabelsi: Helped to supervise
field activities and hydrogeological data
Triki, I.: Analysis and optimisation of processing.
Sfax water tables monitoring network.
Monem Kallel and Jalel Bouzid:
Carried out chemical investigations.
228 V O LU M E 11: E XAMPLES OF S UCCESSFUL E XPERIENCES IN P ROVIDING S AFE D RINKING WATER

Ali Chkir and Mohamed Mahfoudh:

Studied the institutional and legal aspects
of managing the water and the evolution
of water requirements.
All the above-mentioned university team
members participated in the training of
DGRE technicians and engineers.
Rouaida Trabelsi, Habib Smida, Ismail
Karray and Soumaya Hajji: Conducted
the field work, including the inventory of
the wells and groundwater sampling and
analysis, and processed the data in the
database.

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