*Water Scarcity Management in the Maghreb Region DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.103788*

accurate information on aquifer hydrodynamics to plan and to set up quantitativequalitative protection areas. The quantitative protection areas are where new wells are banned and the actual abstraction of wells can be limited or discontinued, and the qualitative protection areas are where activities generate pollution [45]. Algeria has also established five different River basin agencies since 1996, after the 1983 legal water was amended [46].

Morocco—The passing of Law 10–95 in 1995 was a major breakthrough in Moroccan water policy. It was a water strategy through River basin Agencies to rationalize water use, provide universal access to the resource, reduce disparities between cities and villages and ensure water security across the country. Also, to control well groundwater depletion caused by overexploitation, the Moroccan authority has used aquifer contracts as a tool in water management [47]. The first Morocco's experience with aquifer contracts began in Souss-Massa region as a technical and non-binding financial assistance by the government.

Tunisia—As mentioned already that only agriculture sector in Tunisia consumes 80% of available water resources. Groundwaters constitute around 43% of irrigation water in Tunisia and mostly are overexploited over the last thirty years [48] which increase the risk of quality degradation in shallow aquifers [49], particularly in the coastal areas. In response to the aquifer degradation and overexploitation, Tunisia has adopted many regulatory and incentive instruments to manage groundwater, such as 1975 Water Law which introduced the concept of the public hydraulic domain, the preeminent act of the state for water management and planning, the protection of ecosystems and the possibility of user-based water scarcity management [43]. Nevertheless, the overall effect has been weak since the water governance still remained weak (regional and local water administrations).

Libya—Great Man-Made River, long-term and enormous project in Libya (2001) aimed to provide Libyan people with their freshwater needs by taking water from reservoirs underneath the Sahara and transporting it along the largest underground network of pipes [50].

Mauritania—Groundwater constitutes only around 3% of water resources in Mauritania. Climate change is likely cause decrease in groundwater recharge and their piezometric levels, especially in the Taoudéni-Tanezrouk and Senegal-Mauritanian basins and their respective aquifer systems. This groundwater vulnerability is getting worsen by anthropogenic pressure due to extraction and deterioration of water quality. In responses to climate change and its effects on water resources, Mauritania has adopted the framework of "the Adaptation Programme of Action on Climate Change (NAPA-RIM)", which aims to identify priority activities that respond to immediate needs to adapt to climate change, ultimately leading to the implementation of national agriculture, livestock and ecosystem protection strategies including:

