The kick-off of the construction work for the Ouakjditt dam on the Assif Ntalaght wadi in the commune of Ourika (Al Haouz province), on the occasion of the fifteenth anniversary of the enthronement of HM King

Mohammed VI, is a real breath of fresh air for the residents along the Yssil wadi which crosses part of the city of Marrakech and whose floods have always constituted a permanent threat to the populations of the Ochre City. The construction of this dam, with a capacity of 1.22 million m3, is part of the efforts aimed at protecting the city against the floods of the Yssil wadi and contributing to the supply of groundwater in the Ourika region.

Floods have always been a source of problems and worry for the populations, as evidenced by the floods of March 2011 which had caused significant damage, including the collapse of many houses. Already in 2003, the overflowing of the Yssil wadi had caused human victims and caused significant material damage. It should be recalled that many associative actors had repeatedly deplored the negligence of local governance and had constantly emphasised the imperative need to find practical solutions to issues inherent in the development of the city, particularly in terms of risk management and the enhancement of the banks of the Yssil wadi.

This initiative was welcomed with great satisfaction by the residents who see it as a salutary outcome capable of putting an end to their ordeal. With a total cost of 60 million DH, the dam will be operational in two years. It is financed by the Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water, and Environment, according to the Tensift Hydraulic Basin Agency (ABHT).