Study of the salinity of groundwater in the HAHA syncline by the Kohonen self-organized classification (Essaouira, Morocco)

Abstract

The coastal aquifer of the Essaouira syncline (Morocco) was studied to identify the main processes at the origin of the salinization of groundwater. In fact, a multicriteria analysis approach on hydrochemical data and physicochemical parameters of the Plio-Quaternary aquifer was used to understand their spatiotemporal variation and their origins. Currently, integrated water resources management has become paramount to both local, regional, national and international. This management is favored by extreme hydrological events (droughts or oods) which can have direct in uences on human, economic and political aspects. Appropriate management of a resource requires its evaluation. The statistical study by Kohonen's self-organized classi cation (SOM) of hydrochemical data for the years 1995 and 2009 is used to process 47 samples distributed over the entire study area; it showed an evolution of the values of the parameters. Physico-chemical as a function of time and space with an increase in the values of the parameters, from the center of the study area towards the southwest. aquifer, the stresses applied to the aquifer (pumping, etc.) and the ow of fresh water and salty exchanging with the surrounding environment (Karroum etal., 2017). This situation is all the more critical as the groundwater in this study area (Essaouira coastal area) constitutes the only water resources available to local populations (Ouzerbane et al. 2014 ;Bahir et al. 2019). This study will take place in the context of regional planning. It will make it possible to prepare, con rm or supplement the orientations and choices necessary for a harmonious development of the region taking into account, as far as possible, all the needs and the corresponding constraints. Geographical And Geological LocationThe Essaouira basin is a coastal area located in the center-west of Morocco. It belongs to the Moroccan Atlantic margin and covers approximately an area of 20,000 km² of the eastern Mesozoic passive margin of the central Atlantic Ocean. The basin is limited to the north by the Tensiftriver, to the south by the western High Atlas, to the east by the plains of Imi-N-Tanoute and Chichaoua and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. It is a plateau, slightly raised to the South and to the North, gently sloping down towards the Atlantic Ocean then suddenly lowering to give rise to the coastal zone with dune relief.The study area known as the synclinal Essaouira is part of the coastal area of the basin. It is bounded to the north by Qsob river, to the south by Tidziriver, to the east by the reliefs of Haha North and by the diapir of Tidzi and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean. It is not very rugged and is characterized by a relief of low hills with altitudes between 0 and 800 meters, modeled by a low density hydrographic network which ows into the Atlantic Ocean (Fig. 1).Geologically, the formations outcropping in the synclinal zone of Essaouira are generally Quaternary and Plio-Quaternary in age (Fig. 2). Going from the South to the North of the study area, th...

Contribution to the study of groundwater quality and validation of their vulnerabilities to pollution using GIS. Case of the Plio-Pleistocene aquifer of the Essaouira syncline - Morocco

“…The Principal component analysis (ACP) method was used to understand and visualize the spatial and temporal distribution of the samples. In addition, this paragraph is the result of the work of Ouzerbane (Ouzerbane et al, 2021b). Results And Discussion…”

Comparison between self‐organizing map and principal component analysis for water quality assessment and hydro‐geochemical characterization in dyke intruded complex geological settings

“…Li et al (2018) applied the SOM approach on water sample dataset and found that it provided more detailed information about the dominant parameter and better classification than PCA. With the recent advancement of artificial neural network technology (ANN), SOM has sparked much attention in solving water quality related problems such as water quality assessment, effect on the landscape on groundwater, groundwater flow, salinity of water and many other studies (Belkhiri et al, 2018; Ouzerbane et al, 2021).…”

Contribution to the study of water resources in the coastal region of Essaouira, using vertical electrical soundings, electrical resistivity tomography and GIS (Essaouira, Morocco)

“…Such situations will recur in the future and perhaps even more frequently if they are linked to the phenomenon of deserti cation which affects West Africa and to the extent of climate change on a planetary scale. This water crisis is aggravated by the dynamic interaction of several processes that act at the local, national and global level (Bahir et al, 2002, Ouzerbane et al, 2021b. Globally, the total volume of groundwater resources is di cult to measure, but one estimate puts it at around 10.5 million km³ (Shiklomanov and Rodda, 2003), with groundwater resources remaining the main source of water fresh water on Earth, with more than 90% of fresh water immediately available (PNUE, 2008;Boswinkel, 2000).…”