To face the challenges of urbanization and climate change in Morocco, within the initiative of the Department of Water, we started working recently on the development of rainwater harvesting (RWH). The Bouskoura basin is the pilot site selected, because an integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach may be considered due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, and hosting wide facilities such as airport, highway, many expanding urban areas promotion and including 64% of rural areas. Hydrological modeling was carried out through HEC-HMS model for the reconstitution of theoretical natural hydrograph because of the lack of hydrological measurements and STORM model to study the integrated effect of the water harvesting facilities on the socio-economic and environmental aspects of the basin and its relationships with its environment. Continuous simulations are made based on data from climate models re analysis because of the lack of ground measured climate data. Modeling was used to measure the impact of storm-water on the environment in general and on the hydrological cycle in particular including mitigation of flood magnitudes, the substantial drinking water costs reduction, the impact obtained from watering green spaces, the artificial recharge of the aquifer and the reduction of greenhouse effect gas emissions. We need to put emphasis on the fact that these in situ IWRM developed in this case, can lead to creation of smart spaces from smart projects through smart cities to smart watersheds. The results are promising and show that flood mitigation for the Bouskoura basin is 46% of the peak flow. The other advantages are of useful importance in domestic use, infiltration to the aquifer, etc. The impacts for each unit such as airport, roads, administrative or industrial buildings are measured in this case. We can conclude that if more space is urbanized more the impact is important. The information carried out will provide in the future a decision support system to monitor sustainable urbanization development in the basin.
Hasnaoui, MD; Bouziane, A; Ouazar, D; Alaoui, M; Boudaoud, Y; Hadine, A
Modeling the impact of the rainwater harvesting on flood mitigation in the Bouskoura basin and its prospects adaptation to climate change
Houille Blanche-Revue Internationale De L Eau