Isotopes and groundwater management strategies under semi-arid area: Case of the Souss upstream basin (Morocco)

• Published in: Applied radiation and isotopes Vol. 69; no. 7; pp. 1084 - 1093
• Main Authors: Bouragba, L., Mudry, J., Bouchaou, L., Hsissou, Y., Krimissa, M., Tagma, T., Michelot, J.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aquifer; Arid climate; Artificial recharge; Earth Sciences; Petrography; Radiocarbon; Sciences of the Universe; Souss; Stable isotopes; Morocco; Arid climate; Radiocarbon; Artificial recharge; Souss; Aquifer; Stable isotopes
• ISSN: 0969-8043; 1872-9800
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2011.01.041

This study concerns the Souss upstream basin. The objective is to investigate the characteristics of surface water and groundwater, to assess the impact of artificial recharge as reinforcement of the natural replenishment and assess the renewal of groundwater under semi-arid area.
Two major water types are observed: (i) surface waters and upstream springs (least mineralized) and (ii) all groundwater samples (prevailing calcium and magnesium bicarbonate water type).
Water isotopes show a low evaporation of precipitations during infiltration. Impoverishment in heavy isotopes is the characteristic of mountain rainfalls, or of a climate colder and wetter than present. Carbon-14 activities (34–94
pmc) indicate a long residence time. The artificial recharge is low compared to the reservoir volume, due to which the renewal rate is also low.