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Sustainable Management of Scarce Resources in the Coastal Zone

Wp 09: Regional case study: TUNISIA

SMART

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Geographic and climatic characteristicsThe tunisian coastline spans 1300 km

75% of the territory suffers from the aridity

The northwestern part of the country gets between 500 and 1500 mm of precipitation per year

The dry season is too long In the south, precipitations don’t exceed

150mm (per year) Except for the north, all the regions suffer

from the drought

No big rivers exist except the Medjerda’s

The southern part of the country is a part of the Sahara

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More than 500 mm400 mm to 500 mm300 mm to 400 mm200 mm to 300 mm100 mm to 200 mmLess than 100 mm

Rainfall map

Legend

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1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2004

2009

2014

8.154 9.563

10.814(Millions)

Population’s growth

Socioeconomic characteristics

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1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

59.659.8

60.5

60.861.0

61.361.6

61.962.262.4

62.6

63.4

(%)

Urban population’s evolution

Socioeconomic data

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1990

1996

2010ir

rig

ati

on

Dri

nkab

le w

ate

r

ind

ustr

y

tota

l

1,575

24292540

260365635 85

85125

1,92

28793300

Water consumption

(Millions m3)

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Socioeconomic frame

Demographic growth

Rise in the standard of living

Urban extension

Increase in the irrigation practice

Industry and tourism development

Water resources pressureWater resources pressure

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Politic frame

1- Water resources planification

Guideline plan for the water use in The northThe centerThe south

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Politic frame

2- Water resources uses

hydraulic infrastructure:

damshill damslakesunderground water surface wells

use rate

Surface water 76%

underground water 95%

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54/70 70/80 80/93 83/972005

8% 10%

62%

81%

91%

Water use development

Potential water resources: 4470 millions m3

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Politic frame

2- Water resources uses

Unconventional water use

artificial refill of underground water

treated water

brackish water

3- Water resource management

Wise management of available water

Controlling the needs

Pollution prevention

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Problems

Dam silting up

Hydrogeological system fragility

Mediterranean climatic inter annual variability

Poor water quality (salinity higher than normal)

Overexploitation and water waste

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New water resources use has however become more difficult. (The saturation of the use of such a resource is expected to happen in 2015).As a consequence, Tunisia will face a major challenge: the rational exploitation of an increasingly scarce and expensive natural resource.This challenge is linked to other constraints and problems such as food security, unemployment and regional imbalance.

The tunisian case study in the SMART project fits perfectly the sustainable tunisian policies regarding development.

Strategic trends of the tunisian policy

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Problem of water use in the coastal zone

1-Rapid land use change and conflictual land exploitation:

Agriculture Industry Tourism Urbanization

2. Demographic pressure

population growth migration

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3- Unbalance of ecological and physical coastal systems

Overexploitation of underground water and salt water intrusion in the immediate coastal zone Reduction of the refillment area of the underground resource (urban extension)Coastal sedimentary dynamic disturbance

4- pollution

Industrial water waste management Urban water waste management Solid waste management

Problem of water use in the coastal zone

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Investigation areas

Tabarka

Gulf of Hammamet

Gulf of Gabes

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Tabarka

aTabarka Major problems:

Impact of big hydraulic structures on yhe coast and on the coastal water areas

Water waste in the irrigation process

Worsening of underground water quality (overuse of pesticides in agriculture)

Tourism development

Urban planification

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Hammamet

aHammamet

Major problems:

Competition between agriculture and tourism as far as water use is concerned

Overexploitation of underground water and sea water intrusion

Extraordinary urban expansion

Coastal disturbance of the coastal dynamics as a consequence of touristic developments

Waste management

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GabesaGabes

Major problems:

Competition between agriculture and tourism as far as water use is concerned

Overexploitation of underground water and sea water intrusion

Industrial pollution

Waste management

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Thank you for your attention Thank you for your attention