Groundwater recharge sources in semiarid irrigated mountain fronts     

Houssne Bouimouass  Younes Fakir  Sarah Tweed  Marc Leblanc 《水文研究》2020,34(7):1598-1615

High-elevation mountains often constitute for basins important groundwater recharge sources through mountain-front recharge processes. These processes include streamflow losses and subsurface inflow from the mountain block. However, another key recharge process is from irrigation practices, where mountain streamflow is distributed across the irrigated piedmont. In this study, coupled groundwater fluctuation measurements and environmental tracers (¹⁸O, ²H, and major ions) were used to identify and compare the natural mountain-front recharge to the anthropogenically induced irrigation recharge. Within the High Atlas mountain front of the Ourika Basin, Central Morocco, the groundwater fluctuation mapping from the dry to wet season showed that recharge beneath the irrigated area was higher than the recharge along the streambed. Irrigation practices in the region divert more than 65% of the stream water, thereby reducing the potential for in-stream groundwater recharge. In addition, the irrigation areas close to the mountain front had greater water table increases (up to 3.5 m) compared with the downstream irrigation areas (<1 m increase). Upstream crops have priority to irrigation with stream water over downstream areas. The latter are only irrigated via stream water during large flood events and are otherwise supplemented by groundwater resources. These changes in water resources used for irrigation practices between upstream and downstream areas are reflected in the spatiotemporal evolution of the stable isotopes of groundwater. In the upstream irrigation area, the groundwater stable isotope values (δ¹⁸O: −8.4‰ to −7.4‰) reflect recharge by the diverted stream water. In the downstream irrigation area, the groundwater isotope values are lower (δ¹⁸O: −8.1‰ to −8.4‰) due to recharge via the flood water. In the nonirrigation area, the groundwater has the highest stable isotope values (δ¹⁸O: −6.8‰ to −4.8‰). This might be due to recharge via subsurface inflow from the mountain block to the mountain front and/or recharge via local low altitude rainfall. These findings highlight that irrigation practices can result in the dominant mountain-front recharge process for groundwater.  相似文献   

Iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) mineralization at the Imiter inlier,Eastern Anti-Atlas,Morocco     

Bouchra Baidada  Abdelkhalek Alansari  Basem Zoheir  Said Ilmen  Abderrahmane Soulaimani  Moha Ikenne 《Chemie der Erde / Geochemistry》2018,78(4):462-478

The Imiter inlier at the eastern Anti-Atlas chain (Morocco) hosts a world-class epithermal Ag-Hg deposit, and several occurrences of sulfide-magnetite mineralization. These occurrences are confined to transcurrent faults that cut mildly to highly potassic I- and S-type granite intrusions (e.g., Igoudrane, Bou Teglimt, Taouzzakt and Bou Fliou).In this contribution, we present new field, petrographic and microanalytical data of the Bou Fliou sulfide-magnetite mineralization in the northwestern part of the Bou Teglimt granodiorite intrusion (567?±?6Ma). Field and microscopic investigations reveal pervasive silicification and potassic alteration associated with iron oxides-rich (>10?vol %) veins, stockworks, and breccias along NE-SW faults. The ore minerals are mainly magnetite, hematite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, Ag-galena, cobaltite, and less abundant Bi-sulfosalts (i.e., cosalite, galenobistmuthite, and llilanite-gustavite). The low-titanium iron oxides (magnetite and hematite), widespread iron-rich breccia, association with crustal scale fault zone, pervasive alteration, and overprinting mineral assemblages suggest a shallow level IOCG-style mineralization. High-order splays of the major fault zone could have provided effective traps for magmatic and basinal Cu and Zn-Pb hydrothermal fluids. The ～550 Ma intrusive phases in the region could have contributed by fluid, elements or heat in a local effective blumbing. The mineralogical and ore textural criteria reflecting ore formation at a realtively shallow crustal environment, but a fluid inclusion study is needed to characterize the ore fluids and mechanism of ore deposition.  相似文献   

Implications of turbulent shear on clay floc break-up along the Atlantic estuary (Bouregreg), Morocco     

Krishnamoorthy Lakshmi Ammal Priya  Soufiane Haddout  Joan Cecilia Catubig Casila 《国际泥沙研究》2022,37(2):248-257

Water depth,salinity,current,and suspended sediment concentration(SSC)were measured along with the grain size distribution of bed sediment along an estuarine longitudinal section.The floc size increased with increase in the percentage of clay and silt,while decreased with increase in the percentage of sand content of bed sediment.The turbulent shear,G,had a direct effect on floc size with its value increasing with increase in G up to a G value of 15 s^-1,while an inverse relation existed between floc size and G at higher G(G>15 s^-1).Further,higher turbulence enabled sand to get resuspended and cause additional shear leading to the break-up of flocs.An attempt was made to modify G to account for the combined effect of water turbulence(G)and shear imparted by sand(Ga)and the impact of the modification of G on the predictability of floc size was evaluated.A new model was developed which explains floc size in terms of sediment concentration(C),salinity gradient(S),and G for different scenarios based on the value of G.Sensitivity analysis was done for observed floc size(FS)and predicted floc size using four approaches:(I)FSαC^x;(II)FSαC^xS-y;(III)FSαC^xS^-yGz for G<15 s^-1and FSαC^xS^-yG-z for G>15 s^-1;and(IV)FSαC^xS^-yG_m^-zfor G>15 s^-1and G_m=G+Ga,where x,y,and z are determined by calibration.It was observed that the predictability of the floc size improved when the turbulence was modified to account for shear imparted by sand so that the coefficient of determination was increased from 0.78 for model III to 0.89 for model IV.Further,the settling velocity was expressed as a function of suspended sediment concentration,turbulent shear,and salinity gradient.The predictability of settling velocity was improved(R2 increased from 0.77 to 0.86)when the additional turbulence created by sand was incorporated in the non-dimensional empirical equation.The study highlights the influence of sand in causing the break-up of flocs and suggests that for turbulence shear values high enough to resuspend sand,and G has to be modified to account for the additional shear imparted by sand in mixed sediment estuarine environments.  相似文献   

Pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts from the Cenozoic Jbel Saghro Volcanic Field (Anti-Atlas,Morocco): Petrography,mineral chemistry and equilibration conditions     

《Chemie der Erde / Geochemistry》2021,81(1):125694

A suite of mafic pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts was brought to the surface by Cenozoic nephelinites of the Jbel Saghro Volcanic Field (Anti-Atlas, Morocco). The large population of samples was subdivided into five groups: (i) clinopyroxenites sensu stricto; (ii) olivine clinopyroxenites; (iii) mica-bearing clinopyroxenites; (iv) kaersutite-bearing clinopyroxenites; (v) clinopyroxene megacrysts. These xenoliths display a cumulate texture (adcumulate, heteradcumulate with poikilitic clinopyroxene including olivine). The clinopyroxenes have the composition of augite and show an appreciable variation of MgO (7.02–14.80 wt.%), TiO₂ (0.58–5.76 wt.%) and Al₂O₃ (2.81–12.38 wt.%) contents in grains. The clinopyroxenes are characterized by convex upward chondrite-normalized REE patterns, they display very similar trace element compositions with low contents of incompatible elements such as Rb (0−0.9 ppm), Ba (0.1–8.3 ppm), Th (0.1−0.3 ppm), U (0.01−0.04 ppm) and Nb (1.3–3.2 ppm). REE contents of the calculated melts in equilibrium with the clinopyroxene megacrysts and clinopyroxene from pyroxenite xenoliths are similar to those of the nephelinites exposed in Jbel Saghro. Crystallization temperatures of pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts range from 950 °C to 1150 °C. Clinopyroxene barometry yielded pressure of crystallization ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 GPa for pyroxenite xenoliths and 0.3 to 0.7 GPa for clinopyroxene megacrysts. This pressure range is in agreement with pyroxenite xenoliths and clinopyroxene megacrysts being crystallized from their parental melts at the lower and upper crust.  相似文献   

A new basal snake from the mid-Cretaceous of Morocco     

《Cretaceous Research》2017

Fossil snakes are relatively well represented in the Upper Cretaceous of northern Africa, with material known from Morocco, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, and Niger. The Moroccan Kem Kem beds have yielded a particularly diverse snake assemblage, with Simoliophiidae, Madtsoiidae, ?Nigerophiidae and several unnamed taxa co-occurring. These fossils are important for our understanding of the early evolutionary history of snakes, and may shed light on the ecology and initial diversification of basal snakes. We describe a new taxon, Norisophis begaa gen. et sp. nov., from the Kem Kem beds of Begaa, in southeast Morocco. It is characterised by a marked interzygapophyseal constriction, parazygantral foramina, an incipient prezygapophyseal process, and an anterio-posteriorly short centrum. Several characteristics shared with Najash, Seismophis, Madtsoiidae, and Coniophis suggest that Norisophis is a stem ophidian. N. begaa further increases the diversity and disparity of snakes within the Kem Kem beds, supporting the hypothesis that Africa was a mid-Cretaceous hotspot for snake diversity.  相似文献   

Environmental changes over the past 25 000 years in the southern Middle Atlas,Morocco          下载免费PDF全文

Jalal Tabel  Carla Khater  Ali Rhoujjati  Laurent Dezileau  Ilham Bouimetarhan  Matthieu Carre  Laurence Vidal  Abdelfattah Benkaddour  Majda Nourelbait  Rachid Cheddadi 《第四纪科学杂志》2016,31(2):93-102

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Modelling of groundwater flow in heterogeneous porous media by finite element method     

Hassan Smaoui  Lahcen Zouhri  Abdellatif Ouahsine  Erick Carlier 《水文研究》2012,26(4):558-569

The HySuf‐FEM code (Hydrodynamic of Subsurface Flow by Finite Element Method) is proposed in this article in order to estimate the spatial variability of the transmissivity values of the Berrechid aquifer (Morocco). The calibration of the model is based on the hydraulic head, hydraulic conductivity and recharge. Three numerical tests are used to validate the model and verify its convergence. The first test case consists in using the steady analytical solution of the Poisson equation. In the second, the model has been compared with the hydrogeological system which is characterized by an unconfined monolayer (isotropic layer) and computed by using PMWIN‐MODFLOW software. The third test case is based on the comparison between the results of HySuf‐FEM and the multiple cell balance method in the aquifer system with natural boundaries case. Good agreement between the Hydrodynamic of Subsurface Flow, the numerical tests and the spatial distribution of the thickening of the hydrogeological system is deduced from the analysis and the interpretations of hydrogeological wells. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

Flood frequencies reveal Holocene rapid climate changes (Lower Moulouya River,northeastern Morocco)     

Christoph Zielhofer  Jens Bussmann  Hanoun Ibouhouten  Katrin Fenech 《第四纪科学杂志》2010,25(5):700-714

Current high‐resolution palaeoenvironmental records reveal short‐term Holocene coolings. One of these major Holocene rapid climate changes occurred between 3.2 and 2.7 cal. ka BP. The sensitivity of river systems vis‐à‐vis slight and short‐term Holocene climatic variations is a subject of controversy in the scientific community. In this paper, we present a 4.0 to 1.4 cal ka BP palaeoflood record from the Lower Moulouya River (northeastern Morocco) to demonstrate the high sensitivity of semiarid rivers in the southwestern Mediterranean towards Holocene environmental changes. The Lower Moulouya flood deposits are characterised by thick, well‐stratified, predominantly clayey to silty overbank fine sediments. These cohesive sediments show evidence of excellent preservation conditions against fluvial erosion and contain a continuous record of mid to late Holocene flood sequences. The Moulouya palaeoflood record can be interpreted in the context of regional and global high‐resolution proxy data, revealing a strong coupling with Holocene rapid climate changes. The centennial‐scale Moulouya palaeohydrological history will be discussed with palaeoenvironmental data from the same record (palaeomagnetics, sedimentary charcoal record, anthracological analyses, snail analyses) to generate new ideas about the mid to late Holocene hydrological cycle in the southwestern Mediterranean. The deduced features of pronounced Lower Moulouya flooding and the decreased fire recurrence during Holocene cooling remain somewhat inconsistent with the interpretation of other palaeohydrological and paleaoecological records from the southwestern Mediterranean. However, enhanced Lower Moulouya flood frequencies between 3.2 and 2.7 cal. ka BP agree with increased floodplain aggradation in other major river systems of Mediterranean North Africa. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.  相似文献   

Middle and late Cenomanian oceanic anoxic events in shallow and deeper shelf environments of western Morocco     

BRIAN GERTSCH  THIERRY ADATTE  GERTA KELLER  ABDEL AZIZ A.M. TANTAWY  ZSOLT BERNER  HAYDON P. MORT  DOMINIK FLEITMANN 《Sedimentology》2010,57(6):1430-1462

The response of shallow‐water sequences to oceanic anoxic event 2 and mid‐Cenomanian events 1a and 1b was investigated along the west African margin of Morocco north of Agadir (Azazoul) and correlated with the deep‐water sequence of the Tarfaya Basin (Mohammed Beach) based on biostratigraphy, mineralogy, phosphorus and stable isotopes. In the deeper Mohammed Beach section results show double peaks in δ¹³C_org for mid‐Cenomanian events 1a and 1b (Rotalipora reicheli biozone, lower CC10a biozone), the characteristic oceanic anoxic event 2 δ¹³C excursion (Rotalipora cushmani extinction, top of CC10a biozone) and laminated (anoxic) black shale. In the shallow environment north of Agadir, a fluctuating sea‐level associated with dysoxic, brackish and mesotrophic conditions prevailed during the middle to late Cenomanian, as indicated by oyster biostromes, nannofossils, planktonic and benthonic foraminiferal assemblages. Anoxic conditions characteristic of oceanic anoxic event 2 (for example, laminated black shales) did not reach into shallow‐water environments until the maximum transgression of the early Turonian. Climate conditions decoupled along the western margin of Morocco between mid‐Cenomanian event 1b and the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary, as also observed in eastern Tethys. North of Agadir alternating humid and dry seasonal conditions prevailed, whereas in the Tarfaya Basin the climate was dry and seasonal. This climatic decoupling can be attributed to variations in the Intertropical Convergence Zone and in the intensity of the north‐east trade winds in tropical areas.  相似文献   

Platinum-group elements distribution and spinel composition in podiform chromitites and associated rocks from the upper mantle section of the Neoproterozoic Bou Azzer ophiolite, Anti-Atlas, Morocco     

Ahmed H. Ahmed  Shoji Arai  Yaser M. Abdel-Aziz  Moha Ikenne  Abdellatif Rahimi 《Journal of African Earth Sciences》2009,55(1-2):92

The distribution of platinum-group elements (PGEs), together with spinel composition, of podiform chromitites and serpentinized peridotites were examined to elucidate the nature of the upper mantle of the Neoproterozoic Bou Azzer ophiolite, Anti-Atlas, Morocco. The mantle section is dominated by harzburgite with less abundant dunite. Chromitite pods are also found as small lenses not exceeding a few meters in size. Almost all primary silicates have been altered, and chromian spinel is the only primary mineral that survived alteration. Chromian spinel of chromitites is less affected by hydrothermal alteration than that of mantle peridotites. All chromitite samples of the Bou Azzer ophiolite display a steep negative slope of PGE spidergrams, being enriched in Os, Ir and Ru, and extremely depleted in Pt and Pd. Harzburgites and dunites usually have intermediate to low PGE contents showing more or less unfractionated PGE patterns with conspicuous positive anomalies of Ru and Rh. Two types of magnetite veins in serpentinized peridotite, type I (fibrous) and type II (octahedral), have relatively low PGE contents, displaying a generally positive slope from Os to Pd in the former type, and positive slope from Os to Rh then negative from Rh to Pd in the latter type. These magnetite patterns demonstrate their early and late hydrothermal origin, respectively. Chromian spinel composition of chromitites, dunites and harzburgites reflects their highly depleted nature with little variations; the Cr# is, on average, 0.71, 0.68 and 0.71, respectively. The TiO₂ content is extremely low in chromian spinels, <0.10, of all rock types. The strong PGE fractionation of podiform chromitites and the high-Cr, low-Ti character of spinel of all rock types imply that the chromitites of the Bou Azzer ophiolite were formed either from a high-degree partial melting of primitive mantle, or from melting of already depleted mantle peridotites. This kind of melting is most easily accomplished in the supra-subduction zone environment, indicating a genetic link with supra-subduction zone magma, such as high-Mg andesite or arc tholeiite. This is a general feature in the Neoproterozoic upper mantle.  相似文献