article · Water
Water scarcity presents severe challenges in arid regions such as southern Morocco, where agriculture is central to the economy. To improve the selection of future well sites, geometric average and fractal models were applied to evaluate groundwater potential across the Tissent basin in Southeast Morocco. The assessment integrated eight distinct factors covering topography, geology, hydrology, and hydrogeology. Among these variables, formation permeability proved to have the most significant influence on resource distribution. High potential zones were identified primarily in central and downstream areas, driven by permeable formations near the drainage network and gentle slopes that facilitate steady infiltration into deep aquifers. Validated against records from 52 existing wells, the model classified 15.81% of the basin as having favourable potential, 21.36% as moderate, and 62.83% as unfavourable.
Locating reliable groundwater is crucial for communities and agricultural economies facing chronic water shortages in dry climates. By combining multiple geological and hydrological indicators into a predictive map, authorities can pinpoint high-yield drilling zones more reliably, conserving financial resources and supporting sustainable water management in vulnerable arid environments.
This applied spatial modelling approach directly serves water resource managers, drilling operators, and regional policymakers seeking to cut hydrogeological survey expenses. By pinpointing viable drilling locations, it functions as a practical decision-support tool. Tested and validated against 52 local wells, the methodology appears ready for deployment in regional groundwater planning and site selection.
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Water scarcity affects all continents, with approximately 1.2 billion people living in areas where water is physically lacking. This scarcity is more accentuated in countries with an arid climate, and its impact becomes more threatening when the economy depends mainly on it. The Kingdom of Morocco, with its agricultural vocation, is one of them, especially in its southern regions. Therefore, mapping areas with high groundwater potential based on available geospatial data allows for optimizing the choice of a future well in such areas. Geometric average and fractal models were used to assess and delineate potential groundwater areas in the Tissent basin, Southeast Morocco. Eight factors, including topography, geology, hydrology, and hydrogeology, influencing the distribution of water resources was used. The formation permeability factor presents the most significant impact among the others, although it is directly related to most of them. The areas located in the central and downstream part of the basin are characterized by a high water potentiality due to increased geological formations’ permeability near the drainage system, which constitutes a recharge zone, and a low slope allowing a prolonged water-formation contact time favoring a gradual infiltration of the water towards the deep aquifers. The groundwater potential map has been edited and validated by comparing it with data from 52 wells scattered throughout the basin. The favorable potential sectors cover 15.81% of the basin’s total area. The moderate ones account for 21.36% while the unfavorable areas cover 62.83%. These results aim to provide policymakers and managers with a guide map for groundwater research and reduce hydrogeological investigation costs.
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DOI: 10.3390/w15020336
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