@article{fdi:010042477,
  title = {{I}mpacts of hydrological changes in the {M}editerranean zone : environmental modifications and rural development in the {M}erguellil catchment, central {T}unisia},
  author = {{L}educ, {C}hristian and {B}en {A}mmar, {S}. and {F}avreau, {G}uillaume and {B}eji, {R}. and {V}irrion, {R}. and {L}acombe, {G}. and {T}arhouni, {J}. and {A}ouadi, {C}. and {C}helli, {B}. {Z}. and {J}ebnoun, {N}. and {O}i, {M}. and {M}ichelot, {J}. {L}. and {Z}ouari, {K}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}he {M}erguellil catchment (central {T}unisia), which is typical of the {M}editerranean situation, has undergone rapid hydrological changes over the last decades. {T}he most visible signs are a marked decrease in surface runoff in the upstream catchment and a complete change in the recharge processes of the {K}airouan aquifer downstream. {F}luctuations in rainfall have had a limited hydrological impact. {M}uch more important have been the consequences of human activities, such as soil and water conservation works, small and large dams, and pumping for irrigation. {S}everal independent investigations of the catchment were implemented, based on hydrodynamics, thermal surveys, and geochemistry including isotopes. {T}hese helped to identify the different terms of the regional water balance and to characterize their changes over time. {H}owever, major uncertainties remain and our results may contradict previous interpretations or calculations. {C}onservation works, now covering more than a quarter of the upstream catchment, drastically reduce the runoff production from rain events of less than 40 mm. {W}adi {M}erguellil now ends in the big {E}l {H}aouareb {R}eservoir, which loses more than half of its water by infiltration through karstic fissures and 30% by evaporation, the rest being pumped or released. {E}l {H}aouareb {D}am was built in 1989 and the reservoir has often dried up in the last decade. {T}he major modifications in groundwater flow resulting from construction of the dam are observed in the geochemical tracers in the first seven kilometres downstream from it. {T}emperature measurements confirmed the recent invasion of new water. {T}he rest of the {K}airouan plain aquifer retains the signature of older recharge, but the whole aquifer is affected by the decrease in the water table (about 1 m per year), the consequence of the ever increasing pumping for irrigation.},
  keywords = {anthropogenic change ; geochemistry ; hydrodynamics ; {T}unisia ; water balance},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{H}ydrological {S}ciences {J}ournal {J}ournal des {S}ciences {H}ydrologiques},
  volume = {52},
  numero = {6},
  pages = {1162--1178},
  ISSN = {0262-6667},
  year = {2007},
  DOI = {10.1623/hysj.52.6.1162},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010042477},
}