Rabat – The Agdez Dam, which was inaugurated in April 2023 and is located approximately 100 kilometers from Zagora, is set to play a vital role in addressing the region’s water scarcity.
The Agdez Dam is anticipated to provide a reliable supply of potable water, stimulate economic growth by supporting agriculture, and promote hydroelectric power generation.
Covering 940 hectares and rising 130 meters high, this big infrastructure project is designed to boost the hydraulic capacity of Zagora province and the wider Draa-Tafilalet region.
Mohamed Ajlali, head of the Agdez Dam project under the Draa-Oued Noun Hydraulic Basin, told MAP that the dam, with an investment of MAD 1.2 billion ( $120 million), boasts a storage capacity of 247 million cubic meters.
In addition to creating jobs, curbing rural migration, and fortifying regional connectivity with a new 17-kilometer road linking National Route 9 to the dam, the project will improve access to various tourist and natural attractions, including the Tizgui waterfalls, Ajlali stressed.
The dam’s reservoir currently holds 31 million cubic meters of water, with a filling rate of 12.97%. According to Ajlali, it is expected to expand to 375 liters per second with full use projected by 2040.
Read Also: Tackling the Water Crisis in Morocco: A Call for Balance
The Agdez Dam is already bolstering water access in Zagora through a water treatment plant developed by Morocco’s National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) under the 2020-202 National Program for Potable Water Supply and Irrigation (PNAEPI).
According to Zyat Khalid Abdellatif, provincial director of ONEE’s Water Division, the plant processes 250 liters per second and has been providing potable water to Zagora, Agdez, and the commune of Tamgrout since last December, benefiting over 72,000 residents in its initial phase.
Future phases will extend water supply from the Agdez Dam to several communes within the Zagora province, including Ait Oualal, Nkob, Tazarine, Fezouata, Ktaoua, Tagounite, Mhamid El Ghizlane, Afelandrea, Tansift, Afra, Mezguita, Tamzmoute, Ouled Yahya Lagurayre, and Bouzaroual.
Numerous initiatives are mapped out to tackle the pressing water issues as part of the ongoing national program, in line with the directives of King Mohammed VI from his 25th Throne Day Speech.
In February, water levels in dams fell to just 23% capacity, a decline from 31% the previous year. Ministry data unveiled a major drop in total dam storage, which has decreased to 3.72 billion cubic meters (bcm) from 5.14 bcm last year.
This sharp decrease of approximately 1.42 bcm annually highlights growing concerns about the country’s water resources, caused by ongoing drought and a persistent lack of rainfall.
