Work

Enhancing soil conservation, water balance, and sediment yield in northern Morocco: A soil and water assessment tool model approach

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Morocco is facing an alarming decline in surface water supplies, which is severely impacting dam reserves due to climate change and a scarcity of rainfall.The El Makhazine dam, located in the north, is crucial in supplying 800 Mm 3 annually of water, and the irrigation of 34,000 ha in the Loukkos perimeter.The study and monitoring of water and sediment discharge are urgently needed to plan anti-erosion interventions, thus ensuring the sustainability of regional water resources.This study has achieved innovation by applying the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model to the basin using high-resolution data.These data include climate, flow, and sediment concentration from 1979 to 2019, topographic data, land use data from a high-resolution Sentinel image, and soil data from laboratory analyses.The SUFI2 algorithm was used to simulate the hydrological process in the basin.In contrast, the SWAT-CUP program calibrated and validated the model over two distinct intervals (1979-2002 and 2003-2019).The model utilized 23 sensitivity parameters to control flows and sediments, assessing reliability through statistical indices such as NSE, PBIAS, and R².The results were used to analyze the basin's water yield and calculate the water balance, revealing a predominance of evapotranspiration and surface runoff.Erosion rates and sediment load ranged from 5.36 to 99.86 t/ ha/yr, with an average of 29.33 t/ha/yr.The sub-watersheds were prioritized and ranked based on their erosion rates, with a focus on implementing erosion control interventions.The results of the Best Management Practices simulation indicated that terracing was the most effective practice for the region, resulting in a 64.8% reduction in erosion.The model has demonstrated effectiveness in simulating watershed development and simulating practices to reduce dam siltation.This document is a valuable guide for planners in hydrological management in northern Morocco.

Source: Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology

DOI: 10.12912/27197050/209605