CHANGES IN RIVER BANK MORPHOLOGY IN A SMALL MEANDER OF EL ABID RIVER, ATLAS MOUNTAINS, MOROCCO

Abstract

This paper presents initial findings stemming from an extensive and firsthand field monitoring endeavour that delves into the erosion of a fluvial section in the downstream part of Oued El Abid.This river, situated within the Central High Atlas, holds particular prominence as the primary tributary of the big Oum-Err-Bia River.The hydrological behaviour of the El Abid River follows a snowrainfall pattern, characterized by an average monthly precipitation of 82 mm.The main purpose of the current study is to investigate how the El Abid River responds to the forces of fluvial dynamics, particularly in the downstream segment near the Bin El Ouidane dam, by employing a methodology cantered on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Google Earth imagery spanning from 2016 to 2022.The findings of the study reveal a significant metamorphosis and ongoing dynamism within the targeted meandering section at the river's outlet.The period of research from 2016 to 2022 has witnessed pronounced alterations driven by lateral activities and a spectrum of fluvial processes: erosion, transportation, and deposition.This continual fluvial erosion has culminated in substantial soil loss from the riverbanks.Inevitably, these transformations intensify the sedimentation and siltation processes downstream, directly impacting the Bin El Ouidane reservoir as an outcome of the El Abid River's discharge dynamics.