HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES IN MACROCATCHMENT WATER HARVESTING IN THE ARID REGION OF TUNISIA : THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM OF TABIAS

ALBERGEL J. / CUDENNEC C. / NASRI S. / et al. - ARTICLE DE PERIODIQUE - 2004

Traditional rainwater harvesting scheme in Tunisia (Tabia) influences catchment water balance in an arid zone. Tabia consists in a runoff area upstream and cultivated U-shaped soil banks downstream. Rainfall, runoff, infiltration and soil water content measurements are presented for 4 hydrological years (1995-1999). The efficiency of the water storage is quantified: cultivated soil banks (5% of the catchment area) receive about 7 times the normal rainfall amount. Eroded materials are trapped in the strips, contributing to soil fertility.