Khettaras: living vestiges

1They were thought to have dried up, but in the aftermath of the drought that devastated Morocco until the early 2000s, the return of water was accompanied by the reopening, in pre-Saharan oases, of large drainage tunnels dug by humans over the centuries. In 2005, a research team looked at the rehabilitation, in the Tafilalet region, of a maze of underground tunnels of 5 to 10 kilometres each, at a depth of 2 to 18 metres. Their purpose was to drain water from the water table and bring it to the oases.

Underground passage entrance, Skoura oasis, Morocco.

2While such structures exist and are still being used in Iran and Algeria, they were believed to be completely abandoned in Morocco. Not quite the case as, in at least five locations (Figuig, Boudnib, Tafilalet, Todgha, Skoura), researchers found tunnels in the process of being rehabilitated by rural populations and described the functioning of these structures, locally known as khettaras.

Khettara in the Tafilalet valley, Morocco.

3It appears that people living in oases are now involved in the maintenance of khettaras and in agriculture, particularly young people who have returned to rural areas because of rampant unemployment in the cities. This is a risky undertaking in light of climate uncertainty, its clear purpose being to revive collective action and regain control over access to water with a view to a potential shortage in the coming years.

4This research resulted in the publication of scientific articles as well as the construction of two models presenting the operation of these hydraulic structures. One is on display at Marseille’s Mucem, while the other is in the Mohammed VI Museum of Water Civilisation in Marrakech, Morocco. This has raised the profile of these ancestral techniques which, unlike modern approaches, make use of the water from water tables without ever leading to excessive withdrawals.