Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment of Climate and Land Use Changes: Impacts on Groundwater Resources in the Souss-Massa River Basin

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Souss‐Massa River Basin, Morocco

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 53))

Abstract

This work investigates the current climate situation in Souss-Massa river basin (southwestern Morocco) and the impacts of climate change and land use on groundwater resources in Morocco. The annual rainfall amount ranges from 100 mm in the plains to 600 mm in the High Atlas Mountains. However, climate data indicate an overall decrease of precipitation during the three last decades, coupled with an increase of temperature. This recent climate situation, faced with growing population and increasing water demands, results in depletion of surface and subsurface water resources. Indeed, recurrent droughts and decreasing recharge of aquifers affect groundwater levels. Moreover, the overexploitation of groundwater resources explains the witnessed water crisis in the study area, which is predicted to be particularly more affected by climate change in the future. The depletion of groundwater level induced by limited recharge and overexploitation has induced degradation of water quality in the Souss-Massa plain aquifer. The climatic change effect coupled with the pressure of human activities manifested in the intensification of agricultural activities using fertilizers highly affects the water quality with high nitrate contents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) (2013) Climate change 2013, the physical science basis, summary for policymakers, observed changes in the climate system, p 33

    Google Scholar 

  2. World Bank report (2010) Development and climate change. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, p 52

    Google Scholar 

  3. Klose S, Reichert B, Lahmouri A (2008) Management options for a sustainable groundwater use in the Middle Drâa Oases under the pressure of climatic changes, environmental science and engineering, pp 179–195

    Google Scholar 

  4. McSweeney C, New M, Lizcano G, Lu X (2010) The UNDP climate change country profiles improving the accessibility of observed and projected climate information for studies of climate change in developing countries. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 91:157–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Stour L, Agoumi A (2008) Climatic drought in Morocco during the last decades. Hydrogéologie Appliquée 16:215–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Tramblay Y, Ruelland D, Somot S, Bouaicha R, Servat E (2013) High-resolution Med-CORDEX regional climate model simulations for hydrological impact studies: a first evaluation of the ALADIN-Climate model in Morocco. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 17:3721–3739

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Tramblay Y, El Adlouni S, Servat E (2013) Trends and variability in extreme precipitation indices over Maghreb countries. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 13:3235–3248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) (2007) IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, Climate Change: The Physical Science Basis, 103 pp

    Google Scholar 

  9. Agence Bassin Hydraulique Souss-Massa (ABHSM) (2006) Plan Directeur d’Aménagement Intégré des Ressources en Eau, vol 3, 120 pp

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bouchaou L, Tagma T, Boutaleb S, Hssaisoune M, El Morjani ZEA (2011) Climate change and its impacts on groundwater resources in Morocco: the case of the Souss-Massa basin. In: Climate change effects on groundwater resources, Chapter 8, Publishers IAH/Taylor & Francis, Editors: Taylor & Francis, pp 129–144

    Google Scholar 

  11. Tramblay Y, Badi W, Driouech F, El Adlouni S, Neppel L, Servat E (2012) Climate change impacts on extreme precipitation in Morocco. Global Planet Change 82–83:104–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Jury A, Dedebant G (1925) Types of climate in Morocco. Memory of the National Meteorological Agency of France, pp 4–44

    Google Scholar 

  13. Zeino-Mahmalat E, Bennis A (2012) Environment and climate change in Morocco - diagnostic and perspectives. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, p 90

    Google Scholar 

  14. Sebbar A, Badri W, Fougrach H, Hsaine M, Saloui A (2011) Study of rainfall variability in Northern Morocco. Secheresse 22(3):139–148

    Google Scholar 

  15. Gommes R, El Hairech T, Rosillon D, Balaghi R, Kanamaru H (2008) Study on the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector in Morocco: study report for Food and Agriculture Organization. World Bank, 105 pp

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bouchaou L, Michelot JL, Vengosh A, Hsissou Y, Qurtobi M, Gaye CB, Bullen TD, Zuppi GM (2008) Application of multiple isotopic and geochemical tracers for investigation of recharge, salinization, and residence time of water in the Souss-Massa aquifer, southwest of Morocco. J Hydrol 352:267–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Tagma T, Hsissou Y, Bouchaou L, Bouragba L, Boutaleb S (2009) Groundwater nitrate pollution in Souss-Massa basin south-west Morocco African. J Environ Sci Technol 310:301–309

    Google Scholar 

  18. El Morjani ZEA (2002) Conception d’un système d’information à référence spatiale pour la gestion environnementale; application à la sélection de sites potentiels de stockage de déchets ménagers et industriels en région semi-aride (Souss, Maroc), Phd Thesis N° 3370, Atelier de reproduction de la Section de physique, Genève

    Google Scholar 

  19. Erraji A, El Hadani D, Sefiani S, El Faskaoui M, Bouguenouch B (2010) Données Géo-spatiales pour l’Evaluation de l’Impact de l’Utilisation des Eaux Souterraines sur la Dynamique Territoriale dans le Bassin Hydraulique du Souss Massa (Agadir, Maroc), Application of satellite remote sensing to support water resources management in Africa: Results from the TIGER Initiative, IHP-VII N° 85 (Technical Documents in Hydrology) UNESCO, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  20. Agence du Bassin Hydraulique du Souss Massa (ABHSM) (2007) Rapport du Plan d’Aménagement intégré des Ressources en eau (Pdaire). Volume 3: Ressources en eau souterraines

    Google Scholar 

  21. Dijon R (1969) Etude hydrogéologique et inventaire des ressources en eau dans la vallée du Souss. Notes et Mémoires du Service Géologique du Maroc, 299 pp

    Google Scholar 

  22. Hsissou Y, Mudry J, Mania J, Bouchaou L, Chauve P (1999) Utilisation du rapport Br/Cl pour déterminer l’origine de la salinité des eaux souterraines: exemple de la plaine du Souss (Maroc). C R Acad Sci Sér IIA Earth Planet Sci Paris 328:381–386

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Krimissa S, Michelot JL, Bouchaou L, Mudry J, Hsissou Y (2004) Sur l’origine par altération du substratum schisteux de la minéralisation des eaux d’une nappe côtière sous climat semi-aride (Chtouka-Massa, Maroc). C R Géosci 336:1363–1369

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Tagma T (2011) Ressources en eau souterraine de l’aquifère du massa: étude de la qualité et de la vulnérabilité. Phd Thesis, Univ. Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Maroc, p 111

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Applied Geology and Geo-Environment, Ibn Zohr University, BP 8106, Agadir, Morocco

    Y. Ait Brahim, M. Seif-Ennasr, M. Malki, B. N’da, H. Abahous & L. Bouchaou

  2. Laboratory of Salinity and Plant Nutrition, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, BP 773, Agadir, Morocco

    R. Choukrallah

  3. Multidisciplinary Faculty of Taroudant, BP 271, Taroudant, Morocco

    Z. E. A. El Morjani

  4. UMR LOCEAN (IRD/UPMC/CNRS/MNHN), Paris, France

    A. Sifeddine

Authors
  1. Y. Ait Brahim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Seif-Ennasr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Malki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B. N’da
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. R. Choukrallah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Z. E. A. El Morjani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. A. Sifeddine
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. H. Abahous
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. L. Bouchaou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. Ait Brahim .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticulture, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Agadir, Morocco

    Redouane Choukr‐Allah

  2. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, CEH, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

    Ragab Ragab

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco

    Lhoussaine Bouchaou

  4. Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain

    Damià Barceló

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ait Brahim, Y. et al. (2016). Assessment of Climate and Land Use Changes: Impacts on Groundwater Resources in the Souss-Massa River Basin. In: Choukr‐Allah, R., Ragab, R., Bouchaou, L., Barceló, D. (eds) The Souss‐Massa River Basin, Morocco. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 53. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_71

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation