Abstract
Since the 50s, many changes are observed in the climate of the globe, the warming of the atmosphere and the ocean, the decrease in the extent of snow and ice, and rising sea levels. In addition to the demographic pressure, the Maghreb countries are suffering from the drought, which accentuates the phenomenon of desertification and soil erosion, as well as their salinity, which leads to the salinization and depletion of water resources. In Morocco, the climate change leads to the erosion of the soil under the effect of desertification resulting in siltation of reservoirs and the increased salinization of soil and water resources. The Essaouira basin, which is the subject of this study, is located at the Western extremity of the High Atlas to the Southeast of the Essaouira city; between 31°20' to 31°30'N and between 9°00' to 9°46'W. The basin is characterized by a semi-arid climate with average annual rainfall of around 300 mm·year-1 and an average temperature of 20°C. Considering the importance of the aquifer in Essaouira in the supply of the region's groundwater, a study was conducted to assess quantitatively and qualitatively the impact of climate change on water resources in this area. The aquifers present in this region are one of cenomano-turonian upstream and plio-quaternary downstream, separated by the diaper of Tidzi. A piezometric map of the basin was made (1990-2009) and the hydrochemical method of the waters shows that they present a facies Na-Cl with an electrical conductivity ranging from 700 to 7000 μs/cm. The isotopic tracers like 18O, 2H, 3H and 14C were analyzed to determine the age of groundwater, and a right local meteoric close to the right meteoric world characterizing the precipitation of oceanic origin has been determined. The Essaouira basin turns out to be very vulnerable and sensitive to climate change because its recharge is entirely dependent on the rainwater. These results should be taken in consideration for the future water management in the region.
Highlights
Since the fifties, the earth’s climate has undergone significant changes represented primarily by the warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, in close relationship with human activity
In its report of September 2013, the Intergovernmental panel on Climate change (IPCC) states that warming of the globe is, without a doubt, adding that human influence is the primary cause of this warming
Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, it is closely related to human activity
Summary
The earth’s climate has undergone significant changes represented primarily by the warming due to greenhouse gas emissions, in close relationship with human activity. Among the consequences of these changes are noted for many countries: i) an increase of the temperature; ii) a decrease in precipitation, as well as the mass of ice sheets; iii) a rise in the level of the sea; and iiii) a scarcity of water resources. The countries of the Maghreb (Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia) have not been spared by the impact of these changes that negatively affect the most of their natural resources, including water resources. The basin of Essaouira, which is the object of this study is affected for several years, and this is reflected in the scarcity of water resources, increased salinity due to the invasion of sea water and increasing the salinity of the soil, degradation of the groundwater quality and the drying up of several sources
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