For decades, the inhabitants of Dakar have been affected by the consequences of rapid urbanization. Particularly in the urban periphery—referring to the transitional area between cities and rural zones, which serves multiple roles such as housing migrants, agricultural production, and absorbing environmental impacts (Simone, 2010)—changes in the waterscape are occurring. Dakar's periphery is characterized by dunes and lowlands, threatened by groundwater and stormwater excesses. Hereby, it pushes urban planning strategies to improve drainage and sanitation services and to tackle environmental challenges like drought, flooding, and water pollution.
In this paper, two cases of fluctuating waterscapes in the urban periphery exemplify the potential for both abandonment and reclamation of urban spaces. The first case—situated in the department of Rufisque—explores informal flood defenses and drainage systems in low-lying areas, adapted or built by local communities. The second case—situated in Pikine—reveals flooding and seasonal water pollution by addressing communal wells and irrigation systems to manage water for urban agriculture, demonstrating resilience and resourcefulness, particularly during the dry season.
In these cases, the dual role of water as both a threat and a resource is thus central to the adaptability of anticipatory practices at the local level. The paper aims to discuss these cases reflecting the notion of "anticipatory politics"—the preparing for and responding to future uncertainties—introduced by Simone (2010). Reinforced by literature recognition, communities establish unofficial means of navigating the urban environments through social networks and informal platforms to fill the gaps left by inadequate urban planning (Benjamin and Brudney 2018, Ostrom 1973). The cases aim to explore how communities in low-lying areas construct informal flood defenses and drainage systems. Forms of acceptance and resilience demonstrate adaptation as they build water drainage systems to autonomously handle flooding issues.
