Delineation of artificial recharge zones in Mnasra Aquifer (NW, Morocco)

The coastal area of Gharb basin containing Mnasra aquifer constitutes the only hydric resource for region in terms of domestic consumption and agricultural demand which does not cease to increase. In addition, there are large drops in the water table especially during the last two decades. Moreover, there is the problem of saline intrusion and an alarming deterioration in its quality, which imposes a major management issue. At this level, we resort to the artificial recharge highlighting a set of techniques, tools and methods that can ensure rationally the sustainability of exploitation despite eventual constraints: growth of population, extension of agricultural perimeters and climate change. In this work, we focus on the identification of potential zones for artificial recharge using numerical model (hydrodynamic), and the analytical model of Glover to localize area, assess the flow, and time needed for the smooth progress of implementation. © 2017, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.