IAHS2022-520, updated on 23 Sep 2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/iahs2022-520
IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Fluvial sediment transport degradation after dam construction in North Africa.

Rajae El Aoula1, Nadia Mhammdi1, Laurent Dezileau2, Gil Mahe3, and Alexander Kolker4
Rajae El Aoula et al.
  • 1University Mohammed V in Rabat, Institut Scientifique, GEOPAC Research Center, Geophysic and Naturels Hazards Laboratory, Morocco
  • 2University of Montpellier II, HDR-Géosciences, France
  • 3UMR HydroSciences Montpellier / IRD, France
  • 4Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, 8124 Highway 56, Chauvin, LA, 70344, USA

Recent reductions of sediment transport are observed in Bouregreg River and estuary close to the city of Rabat in Morocco. The cause of this evolution in sediment transport which may be due to human activities (dam, pollution), climate variability and natural events has been investigated from a paleo-hydrological approach. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses of slackwater flood deposits are used to assess the impact of a dam installed in 1974 and the climate change on the evolution of sediment transport during about 60 years. Higher accumulation rate of about 3,64 cm/year is observed between 1950 and 1978, whereas it was much lower about 0,41 cm/year between 1990 and 2017. This strong decrease in sediment rate appears much more due to the impact of dam construction rather than to climate change, however climate change in an increasing concern for the future.

How to cite: El Aoula, R., Mhammdi, N., Dezileau, L., Mahe, G., and Kolker, A.: Fluvial sediment transport degradation after dam construction in North Africa., IAHS-AISH Scientific Assembly 2022, Montpellier, France, 29 May–3 Jun 2022, IAHS2022-520, https://doi.org/10.5194/iahs2022-520, 2022.