Assessment of the Intensity of Floods and Study of Their Impact on the Ourika Area

Abstract

Morocco has experienced unforgettable floods due to their devastating and deadly effects. The Ourika watershed is a water system in the Atlas of the Marrakech plateau. The permeability of the lower layer is very low, the vegetation cover is weak and sparse, the slope is high, and the valley is deep. The basin faces north and northwest and is affected by the disturbance of the Atlantic Ocean, which can produce heavy rains, combined with the cruel and violent pulsation of the river. Wadis are very adaptable to cuts and erosion, and solid loads are always important. Despite the varying intensity, these rapid floods were repeated in the semi-arid mountainous areas. In order to reduce the impact of floods, many improvements have been made and a flood warning system has been installed upstream of the basin. Some of these infrastructures have proven their effectiveness, but others have not withstood the severe flooding that followed.