Can ancient irrigation canals water thirsty crops in Morocco today?
This article was reported before the devastating earthquake in Morocco on 8 September. It isn’t yet known how the earthquake affected the underground tunnels described here.
Underground tunnels, or
khettara
, have been shuttling water through Morocco’s harsh landscapes for
millennia
, allowing communities such as the Aït Ouarhou tribe to settle in the Anti-Atlas Mountains where rains are scarce for much of the year. The tribe depends on groundwater-fed
khettara
to harvest almonds, olives, and other crops.
“The people in my tribe need the
khettara
to bring us water for farming,” said Abdoulah Saadi, a historian who specializes in southern Morocco and the small Atlas Mountains. “The importance is also social—the men of my tribe gather together to repair and restore the
khettara
several times each year.” But time and recent pump wells have degraded the
khettara
.
Now, researchers have used satellite imagery to
map
28,000 kilometers of these underground water tunnels. The initiative aims to ultimately get water flowing through them once again and reverse these communities’ fortunes. The project “has brought a new method to help preserve our
khettaras
by using remote sensing,” according to Lhassan Elmrani of the Center for the Study and Development of Oases and Desert Areas. “This helps us know the geography of our system and anticipate problems. We have begu...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research
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