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Assessment of Groundwater Salinization processes in the coastal area of Sahel Abda Doukkala (western Morocco)

IWRA World Water Congress 2025 Marrakech Morocco
Groundwater Challenges and Oppotunities
Author(s): Youssef SADIK, Saliha Najib, Ahmed Fadili, Khalid Mehdi, Bendahhou Zourarah, Khalid Elkhalidi
Youssef SADIK, Saliha Najib, Ahmed Fadili, Khalid Mehdi, Bendahhou Zourarah, Khalid Elkhalidi
Faculty of Sciences, Marine Geosciences and Soil Sciences Laboratory (LGMSS),
Chouaïb Doukkali University, El Jadida, Morocco

Poster: PDF

Abstract

The analysis results reveal that the waters are saline (average EC = 2.6 mS/cm) especially the coastal part (Oulja) where EC exceeds 4 mS/cm.The highest values of electrical conductivity and concentration of Na+, Cl-, Ca2+ , Mg2+ , SO42- are observed near the ocean where there is intense agricultural activity (pumping), and they decrease as they move away from the ocean; The PCA results align with the WQI, indicating that most of the groundwater in the sahel of Doukkala is suitable for direct agricultural and domestic use, and in some areas, for consumption. However, the overexploitation of the groundwater by the agricultural sector, through heavy pumping leads to an imbalance in the piezometric level, which leads to the invasion of sea water into the groundwater. The sustainable functioning of this aquifer requires farmers support to highlight the interest of this natural resource and encourage them to collectively exploit the groundwater by using the most water-saving irrigation techniques