Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fethi Lachaal | Water Resources | Best Researcher Award

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fethi Lachaal, is a distinguished hydrogeologist with over two decades of expertise in groundwater management, hydrogeophysics, and water resources sustainability. He currently serves as Maître de Conférences at the Laboratoire de Géoressources, Centre des Recherches et des Technologies des Eaux (CERTE), under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Tunisia. Dr. Lachaal earned his Habilitation Universitaire in Geological Sciences in 2018 from the University of Carthage, focusing on sustainable aquifer management and remediation, following his PhD in Agricultural Sciences, specializing in Rural Engineering, Water, and Forests, in 2011. His academic journey also includes a Master’s degree in Hydraulic and Rural Development and a National Engineering Diploma in Geosciences. Professionally, he has held progressive roles as researcher and engineer in hydrogeology, contributing significantly to Tunisia’s water management projects and policy development. His research interests encompass groundwater modeling, solute transport, artificial aquifer recharge, marine intrusion, soil and water depollution, and the reuse of treated wastewater, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. With more than 22 scientific publications, 366 citations, and an H-index of 11, he has contributed substantially to advancing hydrogeological knowledge both nationally and internationally. His notable works include studies on drought impacts, aquifer recharge, and innovative contaminant management strategies using biochar. Actively engaged in the Laboratoire Mixte International NAÏLA, he collaborates on sustainable rural water resource management. Dr. Lachaal’s career reflects a blend of academic excellence, applied research, and international collaboration in advancing water sustainability.

Profile:  Scopus  |  ORCID

Featured Publications

Lachaal, F., Duporte, G., Leduc, C., & Gomez, E. (2025). Combining piezometry, isotopes, and emerging contaminants to assess aquifer recharge operation: Case studies of Korba and Kairouan sites (Northeast and Central Tunisia). Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 101514.

Neji, M., Chargui, S., Lachaal, F., Hammecker, C., & Grunberger, O. (2025). The effect of prolonged drought on a coastal aquifer in water scarcity regions: A case study of Lebna (Cap Bon, Northeast Tunisia). Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 101462.

Hammecker, C., Maalaoui, H., Hmaied, A., & Lachaal, F. (2024). Improvement of contaminant retention with the use of biochar in the groundwater infiltration basin of Korba (Tunisia). EGUsphere, EGU24-11014.

Lachaal, F., Azaiez, H., Bruni, R., Gabtni, H., & Bedir, M. (2023). Aquifer structuring and hydrogeological investigation in North African regions using geophysical methods: Case study of the aquifer system in the Kairouan Plain (Central Tunisia). In Regional Geology Reviews

Lachaal, F., Baudron, P., Leduc, C., Mohamed, A. S., Zeddouri, A., Hadj-Said, S., Leblanc, M., Tweed, S., & García Aróstegui, J. L. (2022). A not-so-paradoxical groundwater rise in semi-arid environments. Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences, 486, 1–9