Multienvironmental tracers in coastal aquifer (Morocco): A window into groundwater mixing and risk to contamination

Abstract

In many coastal areas in Morocco, groundwater (GW) constitutes an important water supply for human activities. Intensive pumping makes GW highly susceptible to contamination, affecting its quality and then human health. This work aims to assess and improve the application of environmental isotopes in exploring the connections between GW recharge and discharge, as well as to identify the direction, age, and speed of GW flow, in the coastal aquifer system of the Akermoud plain. A total of 23 boreholes and wells were sampled during two sampling campaigns in 2017 and 2018, including 11 samples from the shallow aquifer and 12 samples from the deep aquifer. A set of chemical and isotopic tracers (δ18O, δ2H, 3H, δ13C, 14C, and 3He) is used to track water and solute from input to output of the investigated system. Stable isotopes distinguish recharge at different altitudes for the shallow and deep aquifers. Both aquifers reveal consistently low values of 3H (between 0.3 and 0.9 tritium units) and from 28% to 64% of modern carbon for six boreholes. According to 14C correction models, GW has ages ranging from 3300 to 11,000 years before present. GW flows from SSE to NNW and discharge along the Atlantic coast of Akermoud plain with a velocity ranging from 0.41 to 1.8 m/year.Practitioner Points The use of environmental tracers helps determine the origin of salinity and identify the recharge area. Investigating the MRT of groundwater resources is essential, especially in arid regions. Evaluating the efficiency of isotopic tracing is crucial in assessing the risk of groundwater contamination. The findings provide insights for stakeholders to promote more sustainable groundwater management in coastal areas.