Characteristics of the Traditional Techniques Used in the Management of Water Resources in the semi arid Doukkala Area (Morocco)

The Doukkala area is located in the central Atlantic in Morocco. It is characterized by a semi-arid climate as it is penetrated by seasonal valleys taking its crucial source from the Rehamna plateau. Doukkala is divided into four territorial parts: The oulja part, the Sahel, the interior plain and the south-eastern margins. They definitely differ in terms of development. Doukkala area basically depends on Bour agriculture, that is to say it gets the water resources from the precipitation. Moreover, it depends on irrigation agriculture which comes from Oum Errabia valley. Doukkala area is inhabited by nine tribes that cope with the milieu characteristics. The natural milieu of Doukkala is a significant factor to create as to adopt a various techniques used in the management and the mobilization of water resources by the local population. The local population has managed the surface water resources provided by the seasonal valleys locally named the flood phenomenon; this technique draws on various traditional techniques such as The Rabta, The Hancha, The Karaja or water intake and The Canal soil. The local population has found out The Natfiya technique to mange and mobilize precipitation water. The local population has used various traditional techniques such as The Oglat, The Aghrour well, The traditional well to manage the underground so as to provide domestic water, irrigate some of the tree planting and last but not least the cattle’s fatal needs of water. These techniques and methods used in managing water resources has had economical, social and environmental implications.