Oued Tessa Dam Project Remains in Limbo Due to Land Ownership Issues

The Oued Tessa dam project, shared between the governorates of Siliana and Kef, remains in the land clearance stage, delaying its effective launch due to difficulties related to land ownership.

According to Zied Karmous, a member of the local council of Sidi Bourouis (Siliana), in a statement to Mosaïque Fm on Sunday, the appeals related to land disputes have been examined and accepted, pending the publication of the definitive lists, a preliminary step to the start of construction.

This hydraulic project is considered strategic for the region. Once completed, it is expected to contribute to strengthening water resources, supporting agricultural development, and improving access to potable water, while helping to cope with recurring droughts. It will also enable better utilization of the Oued Tessa's water resources.

Residents of the affected governorates are now hoping for an acceleration of the remaining administrative and legal procedures to allow the concrete launch of this project, considered one of the main local development priorities.

According to the studies conducted, the dam is expected to have a storage capacity of approximately 44 million cubic meters, with an estimated annual mobilizable volume of 37 million cubic meters. Ultimately, it will enable irrigation of around 3,000 hectares of agricultural land in the first phase, benefiting the regions of Kef and Siliana.

Key Project Details:

• Storage capacity: 44 million cubic meters
• Annual mobilizable volume: 37 million cubic meters
• Irrigation area: approximately 3,000 hectares
• Benefiting regions: Kef and Siliana