Anthropology Colloquia: Old Answers to New Questions: Traditional Water Management as a Solution to Climate Change

On Wednesday, October 25 at 4 pm in Hibben 105, Emily Hayes-Rich will present her talk Old Answers to New Questions: Traditional Water Management as a Solution to Climate Change as part of the Anthropology Colloquia Series.

Abstract:

With the growing pressure of climate change threatening the availability of water in many regions around the globe, it is crucial to explore ways to help these areas not only survive but thrive in the modern world. In many countries, there has been a focus on returning to traditional forms of water management. One such system is an ancient water management technology known as khettara (qanat). This presentation will focus on the multi-year project by Hayes-Rich that examined the abandonment of the khettara in Morocco. Her project included remote sensing (GIS) and community-based archaeological surveys of khettara throughout Morocco. In total, 465 khettara throughout 96 oasis communities were surveyed that represented various historical backgrounds, social systems, languages, and environmental attributes. Despite the differences, the narratives of abandonment told one unifying story. The abandonment of the khettara is not solely a result of climatic changes but driven by unsustainable modern irrigation technologies and a shift from a communal to private view of water. Despite the loss of many traditional irrigation systems, the khettara is still able to provide sustainable means of water management in hundreds of oases around Morocco.

The Anthropology Colloquia series is co-sponsored by the Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies.