Abstrait

Mineralization and Deterioration of Ground Waters in Irrigated Areas (M’nasra, Morocco)

Idrissi Alami I, Addou M, Rhidouani A and Ben Ahmed S

Hydrochemical investigations were carried out in the MÂ’nasra area. This one is located in the Gharb region in Morocco where 145 000 people live. It ensures the development of a dynamic irrigation over an area of about 38 000 Ha. The quaternary aquifer constitutes the main water resource for water supply and agricultural activities.Atotal of 150 representative water points were sampled to monitor the water chemistry for various ions, and the spatial and temporal evolution of the mineralization during the campaign periods of 2003 and 2008 for different places of MÂ’nasraÂ’s region. Agricultural industries are highly represented in this region where nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides are used at a large scale. The results of the statistical analysis have shown a mutation of the mineralization, the nitric, and the salinisation pollution in the region. Moreover, the spatial analysis has confirmed an area of 6 220Ha and 4 801Ha inwhich thewater table has known respectively a nitric and a salinisation pollution between 2003 and 2008.