Recent Rainfall Boosts Water Reserves in Siliana Governorate
Recent precipitation in most of the delegations of the Siliana governorate has significantly strengthened the reserves of major dams, including those of Siliana, Rmil, and Lakhmess, while also replenishing the numerous hillside lakes in the region. According to Jamel Ferchichi, Regional Commissioner for Agricultural Development, this improvement in water resources marks a turning point after several years of water stress.
In a statement given to the TAP agency on Monday, the official specified that the overall reserves of the major dams now stand at 16.565 million m³. The Siliana dam has shown notable progress, reaching 46% of its capacity, or 14.198 million m³, compared to less than 10 million m³ before these rains. The Rmil dam, on the other hand, is full, with a filling rate of 100%, totaling 1.8 million m³, a limited volume due to siltation that has reduced its initial capacity. As for the Lakhmess dam, its level remains more modest, with a filling rate of 10%, representing approximately 0.567 million m³.
The network of local infrastructure is also benefiting. The 38 hillside dams in the region currently store 15 million m³ out of a total capacity of 60 million, while the 154 hillside lakes total a volume of 1.65 million m³.
This boost in water resources is expected to allow the resumption of activities in irrigated areas after seven years of persistent drought. The Siliana dam will play a central role in this revival, as it serves approximately 4,000 hectares distributed between the delegations of El Aroussa and Gaâfour. Jamel Ferchichi also indicated that the delegation services are mobilized to renovate the distribution networks in order to guarantee optimal exploitation of irrigation water from this year onwards, although the situation of the Lakhmess dam still requires special attention due to its low filling rate.
