Potential impact of drought on Mikkes River flow (Morocco)

Abstract

Mikkes River Basin is located in the north-center of the Kingdom of Morocco (North-West of Africa). It comprises of three different zones which represent diversified geologies and which shelter a phreatic and confined aquifer in Saïs plain and a shallow aquifer in El Hajeb Ifrane Tabular. This research aims to highlight the potential impact of drought on Mikkes River flow through climate indexes including rainfall, temperature and evapotranspiration during the period 1968-2009. Monitoring the evolution of rainfall, temperatures and evapotranspiration in the Mikkes basin during the period 1968-2009 shows that rainfall decreases, temperature and evapotranspiration increase from South to North of the basin (spatial drought). Also, these climatic indicators highlight a decrease in rainfall, increase in temperatures and evapotranspiration after 1980 (temporal drought). Flow deficit of Mikkes River between the period 1968-1979 and 1980-2009 is around 76%. This high River flow may due to the drought which the region has experienced since 1980 and also to the overexploitation of groundwater resources to satisfy water demands. The Mikkes basin is suffering severe depletion of groundwater piezometric levels, especially in the confined aquifer.