The Optimal Approach to Valuing Mud Stored in Dam Reservoirs—Case Study of Morocco

Since dams are built on rivers generally to store water, they also store solid materials from floods. These materials settle and consolidate to create enormous quantities of mud, hampering the normal functioning of the structures and threatening the safety of the dam and surrounding populations. In addition to preventive solutions reducing this siltation phenomenon, dam managers often opt for desilting reservoirs as a curative solution. This solution produces enormous quantities of mud to be stored in landfills so far from the watercourse and dam reservoir, causing enormous environmental damage and considerable loss of land. Given the increasing scarcity and rising costs of various raw materials, the utilization of this mud as a valuable resource in diverse sectors including civil engineering, agriculture, crafts, and environmental applications has become imperative. An optimal approach to recover the mud extracted from dam reservoirs is designed and presented in the present article. This approach, which is the result of our research on mud valorization experiences around the world, is based on the definition of the characteristics to be studied, the tests to be carried out on the mud and the limit values to be observed, and on a diagram of the procedures to be followed in the valuation process. To show the canvas for using this approach, the present research work summarizes a case study carried out in the Moroccan context. This case study is based on the inventory of the experiences of some Mediterranean basin countries to define the possible uses of mud and on the laws and regulations of Morocco to choose the laboratory tests to accomplish and the limit values not to be exceeded. As a result, a guide for valuing mud extracted from dam reservoirs has been developed. It is composed of three elements: A grid of tests to accomplish on mud and limit values to observe, a matrix of characteristics to study for each intended use, and a diagram of the optimal approach to follow. It is a framework that Moroccan dam managers can follow to gain part of the cost of desilting operations. The guide can be adapted to other countries by replacing the limit values of the standards used in Morocco with those of the country in question.