The construction of the Large Saguia el Hamra Dam is progressing significantly, with completion reaching 83 percent, according to Sidii Mokhtar El Kenti, director of the Saguia el Hamra and Oued Eddahab Basin Agency.
This project, overseen by the Ministry of Equipment and Water, is part of the new development model for the southern regions, with a budget exceeding 650 million dirhams. The dam is notable for its connection to an artificial replenishment canal for the Foum El Oued layer, along with a storage capacity of 112 million cubic meters and features for draining heavy floodwaters and water intakes.
The project aims to improve flood management, enhance the replenishment of groundwater in Foum El Oued, and ensure the sustainability of water resources in the area. Kenti explained that Morocco’s dam policy, inspired by royal directives, is a fundamental pillar for ensuring water sovereignty, especially in the southern regions that experience frequent climatic fluctuations.
He added that the basin agency has completed several water projects, including the construction of 22 small dams and a hillside reservoir, at a cost of 175 million dirhams, aimed at replenishing groundwater, supporting agriculture, supplying livestock, and combating floods in villages.
The agency is also diversifying water sources, having established around 2,200 water points, including wells and exploratory boreholes, totaling a flow rate of over 3,000 liters per second. Additionally, it has collaborated with other partners to build nine seawater desalination plants with a total production capacity of 66,000 cubic meters per day, serving the cities of Laayoune, Dakhla, Boujdour, Tarfaya, and Oussard.
In this context, 13 stations for removing minerals from saline water have also been established, alongside nine facilities for treating and reusing wastewater.
Regarding future projects, Kenti confirmed that one of the most notable is the seawater desalination plant in Dakhla, which will provide drinking water for the city and the future Atlantic port, as well as irrigate 5,000 hectares of agricultural land using renewable energy. Other projects are under study for irrigating 8,000 hectares in Wadi Lekra’ (Boujdour) and 5,000 hectares in Wadi Achbika (Tantan).
Kenti noted that these investments position the southern regions as a model combining water and food security with energy transition, thanks to a proactive strategy based on integrated planning, digitization, governance, and awareness-raising, aiming to address the challenges of climate change and achieve balanced sustainable development.
