Water quality, biological quality, and human well-being: Water salinity and scarcity in the Draa River basin, Morocco

Abstract

River ecosystems are being threatened by rising temperatures, aridity, and salinity due to climate change and increased water abstractions. These threats also put human well-being at risk, as people and rivers are closely connected, particularly in water-scarce regions. We aimed to investigate the relationship between human well-being and biological and physico-chemical river water quality using the arid Draa River basin as a case study. Physico-chemical water measurements, biological monitoring of aquatic macroinvertebrates, and household surveys were used to assess the state of the river water, ecosystem, and human well-being, as well as the associations between them. Salinity levels exceeded maximum permissible values for drinking water in 35 % and irrigation water in 12 % of the sites. Salinity and low flow were associated with low biological quality. Human satisfaction with water quantity and quality, agriculture, the natural environment, and overall life satisfaction were low particularly in the Middle Draa, where 89% of respondents reported emotional distress due to water salinity and scarcity. Drinking and irrigation water quality was generally rated lower in areas characterized by higher levels of water salinity and scarcity. The study found positive associations between the river water quality and biological quality indices, but no significant association between these factors and human satisfaction. These findings suggest that the relationship between human satisfaction and the biological and physicochemical river water quality is complex and that a more comprehensive approach to human well-being is likely needed to establish relationships.