Groundwater Potential Assessment in the Upper Oum Er-Rbia Basin, Northern Morocco

Abstract

This study aims to assess the groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) in northern Morocco's Upper Oum Er-Rbia Basin (UOER). In such a semi-arid context, groundwater resources are crucial to sustaining essential human activities, but they are under stress due to increased overuse and climate change. This investigation utilized remote sensing in a GIS framework along with a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) technique using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for the first time in this region. We created ten thematic layers representing the most significant parameters, which were then weighted and overlaid. The output map shows five levels of potential: very low, low, medium, high, and very high, covering 12%, 19%, 20%, 27%, and 22% of the basin area, respectively. Comparing the assessment results to the borehole yield, the AUC-ROC curve showed a value of 84.5%, which testifies to the excellent performance of the methodology used. Of the 10 criteria used, lithology was shown to be the most significant factor, followed by LULC, slope, and geomorphology. The study results offer an extensive insight into the hydrogeological potential of the UOER basin. These findings are essential for decision-makers and encourage the efficient utilization of groundwater resources, thus supporting broader objectives of sustainable development.