Multiple stable isotopes and geochemical approaches to elucidate groundwater salinity and contamination in the critical coastal zone: A case from the Bou-areg and Gareb aquifers (North-Eastern Morocco)

Elmeknassi, Malak; Bouchaou, Lhoussaine; Mandour, Abdennabi El; Elgettafi, Mohammed; Himi, Mahjoub; Casas, A.

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118942

Cited by 35 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 81 publications

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“…Similar findings were found in other Moroccan coastal aquifers F I G U R E 5 (a) Fraction of seawater mixing (in %) in the analyzed samples as a function of distance from the ocean and (b) correlation between seawater mixing in the analyzed samples (in %) determined by Cl À and Br À . (Elmeknassi et al, 2022;Ez-zaouy et al, 2022Ez-zaouy et al, , 2023Hssaisoune et al, 2017).…”

Section: Seawater Intrusion Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Groundwater (GW) is the primary source of water for drinking, irrigation, and industrial supplies in semiarid coastal areas of Morocco, which makes this resource vulnerable to marine intrusion and contaminations resulting from human activities, such as agriculture, agrifood industry, and tourism (Elmeknassi et al, 2022; Ez‐zaouy et al, 2022; Hssaisoune et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Qurtobi,

Hssaisoune,

Kumar

et al. 2024

Water Environment Research

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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.

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Section: Seawater Intrusion Assessmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Qurtobi,

Hssaisoune,

Kumar

et al. 2024

Water Environment Research

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“…Understanding the sources and mechanisms of groundwater recharge in the Essaouira synclinal basin, a semi-arid area in northwest Morocco, is essential for water resource management and coal mine safety [49,50]. Hydrochemical and stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic data were used to study water-rock interactions and groundwater recharge in many regions [22,[51][52][53].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Groundwater Quality and the Main Controls on Its Hydrochemistry in a Changing Climate in Morocco (Essaouira Basin)

et al. 2022

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Groundwater is essential for both water supply and environmental conservation, especially in semi-arid and desert areas. Managing groundwater resources requires a thorough understanding of groundwater characteristics and dynamics. The hydrogeochemical properties and evolution of groundwater in the Essaouira synclinal basin in northwest Morocco were studied in this research, with 105 water samples collected in 2009, 2017, 2018, and 2019. The Water Quality Index (WQI) and Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) were developed to determine groundwater quality for consumption and irrigation purposes. The chemical evolution of groundwater is mainly dominated by evaporite, mineral carbonate dissolutions, and cation exchange. Contamination by nitrates is particularly severe in agricultural and tourist areas. The WQI of the 2019 campaign showed that 6.7% of groundwater samples are unsuitable for drinking; 76.7% are poor quality water; and 13.3% are very poor-quality water; while only 3.3% are drinkable. According to IWQI, the total study area has been split into 50% (good), 43.3% (bad), and 6.6% (unfit), respectively, and no excellent groundwater areas have been identified. Therefore, the water is suitable for agriculture but must be treated for drinking. The presence of evaporation and maritime intrusion and the contribution of recent precipitations to aquifer recharging were demonstrated by stable isotope content.

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“…Based on prior hydrochemical studies in these areas, two working hypotheses have been proposed. The first suggests that there is a likely mixing of freshwater with seawater in coastal aquifers [6,10], and the second interprets an enrichment of groundwater by Cl − , Na + , SO4 2− , Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ [11] from geological sources. Our objective is to address some critical questions concerning groundwater salinity in northern Morocco: (1) Do sediments dating from the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC; from 5.96 to 5.33) play a role in triggering the mineralization of groundwater, or (2) is groundwater mineralization caused by saltwater intrusion from the Mediterranean Sea?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

δ34S, δ18O, and δ2H-δ18O as an Approach for Settling the Question of Groundwater Salinization in Neogene Basins: The North of Morocco in Focus

Elgettafi

Elmeknassi²,

Elmandour³

et al. 2022

Water

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Neogene plains around the Mediterranean basin are characterized by considerable groundwater salinization. Some studies have misidentified seawater intrusion as the main source of salinity. Across northern Morocco, we gathered δ18OSO4 and δ34SSO4 data from coastal and inland aquifers, Messinian marls, and volcanic products. Differences in the isotopic composition between Messinian marls and some groundwater in all aquifer samples indicate that salinization in groundwater is a consequence of dissolution of Messinian evaporite deposits; nevertheless, modern agriculture and wastewater strongly influence depletion in levels of δ34SSO4. Our novel approach enables effective investigation of processes governing salinity in Neogene basins to support more informed water resource management and governance.

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Multiple stable isotopes and geochemical approaches to elucidate groundwater salinity and contamination in the critical coastal zone: A case from the Bou-areg and Gareb aquifers (North-Eastern Morocco)

Cited by 35 publications

References 81 publications

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

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

Assessment of Groundwater Quality and the Main Controls on Its Hydrochemistry in a Changing Climate in Morocco (Essaouira Basin)

δ34S, δ18O, and δ2H-δ18O as an Approach for Settling the Question of Groundwater Salinization in Neogene Basins: The North of Morocco in Focus

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