A Line in the Sand: A Sustainable Hydrological System for the Sahara Desert

Abstract

Water scarcity is a concern in the Sahara Desert, which has been amplified by climate change and, combined with ever-expanding agriculture, has caused an unprecedented rate of desertification. The region cannot strain water supplies any further and must move towards sustainable methods of water usage, procurement, and preventing desert expansion. A systematic approach using maps layered with specific spatial parameters (topography, infrastructure, climate) is used to define relational and locational sets for water harvesting, and therefore constraints for a sustainable water system for the Sahara Desert. Concentrated regions of activity such as the fog capped Anti-Atlas Mountains and humid valleys of the Niger River all offer the opportunity to further explore several alternative water harvesting methods at a mezzo and micro scale. Architectural interventions at these scales can reveal empirical knowledge of a macro sustainable water system, and in doing this, reconcile an ancient forgotten respect of our water supply.