Geomatics and Environmental Engineering, vol. 18, no. 6

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Vol. 18 No. 6 (2024): Geomatics and Environmental Engineering

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Submitted
Jun 12, 2024
Accepted
Nov 12, 2024
Published
Dec 20, 2024
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Mapping Groundwater-Potential Zones Using Geospatial and Decision-Making Approaches: Case Study of Ghiss-Nekkour Watershed in Northeastern Morocco

https://doi.org/10.7494/geom.2024.18.6.47
Abdessamad Mazzourh
Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Faculty of Science and Technology of Al Hoceima, Tétouan, Morocco
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0160-2559
Morad Taher
Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Faculty of Science and Technology of Al Hoceima, Tétouan, Morocco
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9273-2764
Abdellah Ouhadi
Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Faculty of Science and Technology of Al Hoceima, Tétouan, Morocco
Houria Dakak
Research Unit on Environment and Conservation of Natural Resources, Regional Center of Rabat, National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), Rabat, Morocco
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8550-7710
Hinde Cherkaoui Dekkaki
Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Faculty of Science and Technology of Al Hoceima, Tétouan, Morocco
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7501-0604

Corresponding Author(s) : Morad Taher

m.taher@uae.ac.ma

Geomatics and Environmental Engineering, Vol. 18 No. 6 (2024): Geomatics and Environmental Engineering

Abstract

Accelerated population growth has led to a heightened demand for water resources, resulting in a notable decline in underground water storage – especially in coastal areas. To effectively manage this crucial resource, the objective of this research work is to identify potential groundwater recharge areas in the Ghiss-Nekkour watershed using Saaty’s multi-criteria analysis combined with GIS and remote-sensing techniques. Initially, this work involved gathering spatial information that was related to the various parameters that govern recharge and express it in thematic maps: slope, altitude, geology, rainfall, soil, land cover, and drainage density. A reclassification was made according to their degrees of involvement in the recharge process by Saaty’s analytical hierarchy process (AHP); this was followed by a weighting of these parameters. These were subsequently integrated into a GIS in order to establish a map of potential groundwater recharge zones in the Ghiss-Nekkour watershed. The groundwater-potential map resulted in five classes:
– good (165 km2) and excellent (0.9 km2) aquifer recharge potentials – situated in north and southwest portions of study area;
– moderate (617 km2) aquifer recharge potentials – located in western and southern parts of watershed;
– fair (551 km2) and poor (44 km2) aquifer recharge potentials – located in central zone and southeastern part of Ghiss-Nekkour watershed.
Field surveys that were conducted in November 2022 and October 2023 validated the obtained results.

Keywords

watershed analytical hierarchy process geospatial remote sensing Morocco
Mazzourh, A., Taher, M., Ouhadi, A., Dakak, H., & Cherkaoui Dekkaki, H. (2024). Mapping Groundwater-Potential Zones Using Geospatial and Decision-Making Approaches: Case Study of Ghiss-Nekkour Watershed in Northeastern Morocco. Geomatics and Environmental Engineering, 18(6), 47–71. https://doi.org/10.7494/geom.2024.18.6.47
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