Sources of spatial variability of soil salinity: the case of Beni Amir irrigated command areas in the Tadla Plain, Morocco

Spatial Variability of Soil Salinity: The Case of Beni Amir in the Tadla Plain of Morocco

“…This trend is in agreement with the observations of farmers who mention episodes wells drying up in recent years. This result highlights the effect of water withdrawal from wells on the local hydrogeological balance as observed in many irrigated plains in arid regions [2][3][4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…It irrigates with the waters from Oued Oum Er Rbia, which contains 1 g/L of salt in the groundwater. The practice of irrigation using poorquality (high-salinity) water coupled with non-maintenance of drainage canals leads to the deterioration of soil and groundwater salinization [3,4]. These unsustainable practices impact agricultural productivity and hence lead to land abandonment and desertification.…”

“…Several studies have been conducted to minimize soil salinization in the irrigated perimeter of Tadla. Some have improved knowledge of the nature of degradation mechanisms [3]. Previously, a few soil salinity mapping works have been conducted.…”

Groundwater Contamination Due to Landfill Leachate—A Case Study of Tadla Plain

“…The open waste disposal system is the most common disposal method in Morocco [2] and specifically in the Tadla region. The Tadla region represents a pilot region in agriculture, but there are several problems that threaten the sustainability of agriculture in this region, such as salinity [3] and an open dumpsite. It is a kind of system where waste is disposed of by backfilling depressions on land that may include valleys and excavations, regardless of the composition of the waste [4].…”

Saline irrigation management in field conditions of a semi-arid area in Tunisia

“…According to the FAO, 7.3 million hectares of salinized irrigated area are located in Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, and Turkey, for a total of 27.3 million hectares for the entire Mediterranean region (Yacoubi et al 2020). Within the irrigated area of Skhirat in Morocco, due to the use of high, very saline groundwater, an increase in soil salinity was observed, affecting yields, so farmers are left with the only choice of growing salt-tolerant crops (El Hamdi et al 2022). In Algeria, in the fertile oasis of Biskra, an increase in soil salinity has led to the abandonment of several lands by farmers or the adoption of other more resistant crops to salinity (Abdennour et al 2020).…”