Insights and participatory actions driven by a socio-hydrogeological approach for groundwater management: the Grombalia Basin case study (Tunisia)

Tringali, C.; Re, V.; Siciliano, G.; Chkir, N.; Tuci, C.; Zouari, K.

Insights and participatory actions driven by a socio-hydrogeological approach for groundwater management: the Grombalia Basin case study (Tunisia) | Aperçus et actions participatives guidées par une approche socio-hydrogéologique pour la gestion des ressources en eau: le cas d’étude du bassin de Grombalia (Tunisie) Perspectivas y acciones participativas impulsadas por un enfoque socio-hidrogeológico para la gestión del agua subterránea: estudio de caso de la Cuenca de Grombalia (Túnez) 地下水管理中一个社会-水文地质方法带动的深刻认识和参与性行动:(突尼斯)古兰巴利耶流域研究实例 Indagini e azioni partecipative realizzate tramite un approccio socio-idrogeologico per la gestione delle risorse idriche sotterranee: il caso dell’acquifero di Grombalia (Tunisia) Perspectivas e ações participativas conduzidas por uma abordagem socio-hidrogeológica para a gestão das águas subterrâneas: o estudo de caso da Bacia de Grombalia (Tunísia)

2017

Sustainable groundwater management strategies in water-scarce countries need to guide future decision-making processes pragmatically, by simultaneously considering local needs, environmental problems and economic development. The socio-hydrogeological approach named ‘Bir Al-Nas’ has been tested in the Grombalia region (Cap Bon Peninsula, Tunisia), to evaluate the effectiveness of complementing hydrogeochemical and hydrogeological investigations with the social dimension of the issue at stake (which, in this case, is the identification of groundwater pollution sources). Within this approach, the social appraisal, performed through social network analysis and public engagement of water end-users, allowed hydrogeologists to get acquainted with the institutional dimension of local groundwater management, identifying issues, potential gaps (such as weak knowledge transfer among concerned stakeholders), and the key actors likely to support the implementation of the new science-based management practices resulting from the ongoing hydrogeological investigation. Results, hence, go beyond the specific relevance for the Grombaila basin, showing the effectiveness of the proposed approach and the importance of including social assessment in any given hydrogeological research aimed at supporting local development through groundwater protection measures.

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