Algeria - Oued souf

Set of unique oasis implanted in full erg imposing a particular mode of enhancement (technique of Ghout) and an original system of culture: the palms are planted directly above the table at the bottom of vast funnels dug in the sand. Secondary cultures are made on the edge of the funnels and irrigated by balance shafts. This type of oasis is not based on a geomorphological structure or an apparent hydrographic system. The existence of oases is a completely artificial creation, with every inch of land directly competing with the dunes. The maintenance work can never be interrupted, given the impossibility of blocking the continuous action of wind and sands against which any drastic opposition is doomed to failure. Artificial barriers of palms cause the accumulation of sand and favor the protective system of the drilled funnels.