Monitoring Surface Water Variations at the Ain Kwachia Dam in Morocco's Northwest Central Plateau With the Use of Remote Sensing and GIS

Abstract

Morocco's water situation is unique, with arid climatic zones dominating most of the country. This means that water resources need to be managed equitably, and decisions need to be taken to ensure the sustainability of this natural potential, which is essential for life in general. This is the case for the management of water scarcity, especially rainwater, by hydraulic works in the central plateau in north-west Morocco, with a view to combating water stress, particularly since climate change is having an impact on rainfall, with a succession of drought years in our study area. The aim of this research is to highlight the role of the Ain Kwachia dam located on the Khellata river in terms of the storage of surface water from rainfall, by quantifying the surface area occupied by its water using satellite images obtained from remote sensing, and mapping the evolution of the dam using a GIS geographic information system over the period from 2013 to 2023. The results show that this structure has made it possible to store rainwater, with an increase of 65.22% in 2022 and 43.80% in 2023.