As climate change is growing, water security becomes an urgent challenge in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the most water scarce region in the world (World Bank, 2018; UN Water, 2020). Algeria is one of these countries under large stresses (Kwasi & Cilliers, 2020). The water stress index is poor with a water availability ratio of 411 m3/cap/year. Forecasts estimate a value of 300 m3/cap/year in 2050 (Falkenmark et al., 1989; Kherbache, 2020). Although, the natural factors (climate change) affect the access to water and lead either to severe water shortages and regional disparities, the water deficit is mainly due to a lack of sustainable groundwater management associated to poor knowledge of the resource (PNE,2010; Kherbache, 2020) [...].

Due to occurrence of groundwater in deeply buried aquifers with low recharge, water scarcity in Saharan and arid environments in Algeria was diagnosed in many populated regions such as Biskra. Constituting a transition hydrogeological area between the folded Atlasic domains in the North and the Saharan flat in the South, Biskra contains large groundwater resources in the terminal complex aquifers. 93% of water needs provides from groundwater and only 7% from surface water. But this region is facing to an acute shortage of water supply for domestic and irrigation demands because of the unappreciated groundwater prospecting and potentiality. Using an integrated approach which enclose geophysical investigation combined to geological and hydrogeological contexts at Chetma area, a deep structural form with significant hydrogeological features was highlighted and confirmed the accumulation of groundwater. Two resistant limestone anticlines called Droh anticlines corresponding to a piezometric dome and a syncline filled with conductive deposit materials were identified. Maastrichtian limestone consists of cracked and thick aquifer formation about 200 to 350 m, together with marl limestone and limestone of the lower Eocene forms a complex aquifer. Pumped boreholes, deep about 400 m, present a mixture of water giving large flow rate ranged from 25 to 90 l/s and constitutes a pattern produce zones of water accumulation. Nevertheless, at 300 m of depth, flow rate offers an average of 40 l/s and capturing mainly Maastrichtian limestone aquifer. However, synform geometries involving clay and marl formations have no hydrogeological interest. Occurrence of potential aquifers mostly identified in fractured zones was confirmed. This study gives insight to enhance groundwater prospecting and mobilization for 2030.

Groundwater depletion is the natural consequence of withdrawing water from an aquifer at a higher rate than recharge. If groundwater abstraction exceeds groundwater recharge for extensive areas and long time, overexploitation or persistent groundwater depletion can occur [...].