Recent variations of water area in the Middle Atlas lakes (Morocco): A response to drought severity and land use changes

Abstract

Abstract The lakes represent important surface water resources and form an integral part of wetlands. The most concerning aspect of the degradation of these areas is the complete drying up of the lakes. In the Mediterranean basin, successive changes in land use practices in the context of climate change have strongly influenced wetland areas. In this study, we opted to use Landsat satellite images to monitor the extent of the water surface in two representative lakes (Aoua and Ifrah) of the tabular Middle Atlas (TMA). The results obtained from the processing of satellite images show a significant regression in the surface area of the lakes, with periods of complete drying for Aoua lake, endangering their fragile ecosystems and biodiversity. This very critical situation of the two lakes is linked to the conjunction of natural and anthropogenic factors. The analysis of climatic data shows a significant climate change from the 1980s, with long periods of drought. In parallel, the study area has undergone remarkable modifications in land use, mainly characterized by a significant extension of irrigated agricultural areas to the detriment of grazing and rainfed crop lands. In three decades, the area of irrigated crops has increased from approximately 1300 hectares in 1985 to 7070 hectares in 2022, representing an increase of 542%. The findings presented in this study reveal the extent of lake degradation in the TMA and reflect the alarming decline in groundwater levels. This indicates that the development of a strategy for the protection of water resources should be considered as a matter of urgency.