Study of Hydrochemical Characteristics in the Middle Moulouya Basin of Morocco

Abstract

This study analyzes the effects of dry land salinity, climate severity, and pollution on groundwater quality in the Middle Moulouya basin. Our research provides insights into certain pollutants and their sources and discusses the impact of saline soil and dry weather. A comprehensive understanding of these factors is essential for managing water resources and promoting sustainable resource use in the area. In fact, the use of a database relating to the major elements, viz. potassium (K + ), calcium (Ca 2+ ), sodium (Na 2+ ), magnesium (Mg 2+ ), bicarbonates (HCO 3 -), sulfates (SO 4 2-, nitrates (NO 3 -), chlorides (Cl -) has proved to be effective to assess the hydrochemical features of groundwaters and their suitability for both aims (i.e., irrigation and drinking). The Middle Moulouya basin's subterranean water is slightly acidic to basic, with a pH range of 6.8 to 7.66 and mild to brackish water at specific sites. Furthermore, in line with the hydrochemistry diagrams, groundwater can be classified into three main types: Ca-Cl, Ca-HCO 3 , and Ca-Mg-Cl type. Moreover, the results pertaining to the overall quality of groundwater regarding Moroccan control standards guidelines indicate that: (i) 32.43% of the groundwater samples are of excellent quality, (ii) 24.32% of the collected water points are of good quality, (iii) 32.43% have medium quality, (iiii) and only 10.82% are of poor and very poor quality (i.e., 5.41% for each class). Finally, based on the Wilcox method, a significant percentage of groundwater sites are suitable for farming.