Hydro-agricultural zoning of Southern Tlemcen steppe using GIS and k-means clustering
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24425/jwld.2025.155302Abstract
The Algerian steppe rangelands especially located in the southern region of Tlemcen province, the primary areas for extensive sheep farming, play a crucial role in the national agricultural economy. However, the inadequate management of water resources for the country’s development is frequently neglected by local authorities. It is essential to quantify and manage this resource as rigorously as possible. The study area, covering approximately 3200 km2, includes five municipalities (Sebdou, Sidi Djilali, El Gor, El Bouihi, El Aricha) in the southern region of Tlemcen province (Algeria). The main objective of this study is to locate (georeferencing) all existing water points managed by the government (boreholes, wells, springs, etc.) and characterise their flow rate, depth, etc., in order to insure a sustainable management of the water resource. Over 119 water points have been identified, located and integrated into a database within a geographic information system (GIS) to create a georeferenced database. Moreover, the results (the database) are used for further spatial analysis using the k-means clustering algorithm. By applying this unsupervised classification method, the study successfully delineates clusters of water points that require similar management strategies. The resulting maps are intended to support local decision-makers in implementing more effective and sustainable water resource management practices tailored to the specific characteristics of each zone.References
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