This concept might appear far-fetched: excavating a channel from the Atlantic Ocean, just below Morocco, with the aim of inundating portions of the Sahara Desert and forming an internal sea. Nonetheless, this initiative was earnestly contemplated multiple times starting in the latter half of the 19th century. Could it have been an idealistic notion, a strategic aspiration, or perhaps a misinterpretation of local topography? Let us reassess the chronicles behind a fantasy that had the potential to alter the face of North Africa.
For close to 150 years, the concept of forming a sea in the Sahara has captivated many innovative thinkers. Back in 1878, French geographer François Élie Roudaire, with support from Ferdinand de Lesseps—who was responsible for constructing the Suez Canal—suggested filling part of this region. chotts (salt lakes) in Algeria and Tunisia through the construction of a canal originating from the Gulf of Gabès. The objective was to enhance the fertility of the area. Nevertheless, due to significant geographical inaccuracies and exorbitant expenses, the initiative was soon abandoned, as historian Jorge Álvarez outlines in his work. article for LBV .
A number of years prior, an engineering professional from Scotland Donald Mackenzie envisaged an even grander scheme: he suggested channeling water from the Atlantic Ocean into the Sahara Desert by constructing a canal beginning in southwestern Morocco, close to Cape Juby (Tarfara region), he thought that the El Djouf area, currently within Mauritania’s borders, might lie below sea level and could potentially flood naturally. Over time, this newly formed sea could extend as far as the Niger River, altering trade routes and opening up possibilities for farming.
Nevertheless, Mackenzie, who had never set foot in the area, depended on flawed information. Unexpectedly, the zone he planned to inundate turned out to be at an elevation of 320 meters above sea level, contrary to what he believed. As a result, his initiative crumbled due to both scientific inaccuracies and colonial conflicts, as France and Spain were opposed to any possible increase in British power within the territory.
Man-made channel located in the midst of the desert / Image produced using Grok
The Sahara Sea Dream
Even though these attempts were unsuccessful, the concept of establishing a sea in the Sahara never completely faded away. During the 1930s, both German and American engineers reignited comparable initiatives in Tunisia, drawing inspiration from the enigmatic Lake Tritonis referenced by early chroniclers. Then, in the 1950s, after gaining independence, Tunisia founded ARTEMIS, an organization aimed at investigating the viability of constructing a Saharan channel.
In the 1960s, Egypt considered a comparable concept for the Qattara Depression, situated southwest of the Nile Delta. The United States suggested employing nuclear detonations to excavate a channel that could form an artificial lake; however, this initiative was scrapped because of ecological worries and political complications.
During the 1980s, a research initiative led by Sweden and funded by Tunisia determined that the climate-related effects would be negligible, with evaporation rendering the water impractically saline. The projected expenses for this undertaking ranged from $11 to $86 billion, which were considered unwarranted.
Buried Project... or Simply Paused?
In 2018, a fresh proposal titled "The Cooperation Road" reignited discussions around this idea. This scheme aimed to inundate Chott el Djerid in Tunisia with water to form an artificial sea intended for fish farming, tourism activities, and agricultural purposes. However, similar to earlier initiatives, it encounters substantial obstacles related to economics and ecological impact.
When considering a canal from Morocco, it currently falls into the realm of science fiction rather than practical feasibility. Nonetheless, with ongoing threats like climate change and desertification looming over the area, what once seemed like unrealistic aspirations might eventually lead to real answers. Even without an extensive waterway to the Sahara, Morocco has initiated early stages of its own initiatives. water highway project This initiative seeks to channel water between the Sebou and Bouregreg river basins. The large-scale project has the potential to move approximately 860 million cubic meters of water annually from Rabat to Marrakesh.