TER_Chott El Djerid

[ENV] Arial view

[ENV] Topographic regions

[ENV] Soil analysis and faults

[ENV] The cycle of water

[ENV] Red ponds

[ENV] Solidified dunes

[ENV] Palm tree fences

[TECH] Fossil water well

[TECH] Salt quarry

[SOC] Bedouin settlements

[CED] Chott El Djerid area

[ENV] Environment

The Chott el Jerid Lake is located in southern Tunisia, adjacent to the Tunisian-Algerian borders, and covers an area of 5.000sq.km. It constitutes the biggest Tunisian salt lake and one of the most Mars-like places on Earth.

[TECH] Technological

The water resources take a very particular importance in any development project in the arid areas, water being “the source of life”. Unfortunately, since a few decades the depletion of most of the natural springs led to the creation of wells, where water is been drilled deep in the ground reaching from 60m. to 600m even 2.5 km deep.

[SOC] Socio-political

Due to the lack of water resources farmers are abandoning the agriculture activities and turn into the touristic industry. The only plantations that are been cultivated now days are date palm trees and the rest of the existing oasis is kept 'alive' for touristic purposes.