Effects of saline land on shallow aquifers quality in North Morocco

Seasonal demand for water is increasing pressure on Mediterranean water resources, often exploited on a non-renewable scale. Many regions in the North of Morocco, especially in the Rif, have problems with salinity in the groundwater resources, as well as the scarcity of these potable resources. Morocco, as a North African country, is currently exposed to drought. Using existing water reservoirs flexibly is one of the most cost-effective ways of alleviating water stress by storing water when it is abundant and releasing it when the drought subsides. It is important to understand salinity distributions and to compare defined freshwater bases with salinity distributions and well depths. Therefore, the sampling plan was designed to cover the entire study area. However, it is difficult to select water points along radial lines that follow the direction of flow, or water points with wells of the same lithology. This is due to the complexity of the geological and soil conditions. The salinity of the groundwater is between 13.68 and 16.51 g/L for the Hammam spring, between 0.73 and 0.88 g/L for the Kara well and between 1.46 and 1.93 g/L for the Twansa well. The main goal of this research is to define the suitability of groundwater for drinking by the applicability of the Groundwater Quality Index (GWQI), and to analyze the impact of hydrogeochemical conditions on groundwater quality. In many cases, freshwater is limited in its ability to change its distribution in response to climate change, increasing the vulnerability of many rural populations. This study can contribute to the management of drinking water in regions with similar groundwater issues.