Establishment of protection perimeters for the Taïcha catchment field (Maâmora aquifer, Gharb region)

This study presents a scientifically grounded delineation of protection perimeters for the Tacha groundwater catchment field, located in the Mamora aquifer (Gharb region, Morocco), in response to the lack of formally established protective measures and the growing risk of contamination from human activities such as agriculture, urban sprawl, and unmanaged waste.The approach combines hydrogeological analysis, spatial mapping, and regulatory frameworks.Field data from boreholes and technical reports were analyzed using ArcGIS to produce thematic maps (land use, piezometry, soil types, pollution sources), while several analytical models (Cylinder & Lillich) were applied to calculate the 50-day isochrone and delineate the protection zones.The immediate protection perimeter includes fenced areas surrounding each operational well.The close protection perimeter, determined by the travel time required for natural pathogen attenuation, extends over 170 hectares.The distant protection perimeter coincides with the aquifer recharge area, covering about 72 km.Results highlight increasing vulnerability of the aquifer due to overexploitation and proximity to pollution sources.The study emphasizes the need to enforce these protection zones to ensure sustainable water supply for the population.A limitation of this work is the partial unavailability of real-time hydrological monitoring data, which required reliance on regional averages for infiltration rates and recharge estimation.Despite this, the adopted methodology remains robust and replicable.The findings are of practical relevance to decision-makers, offering a technical basis for defining groundwater protection zones.This study represents one of the first attempts in Morocco to integrate GIS tools and hydrogeological modeling for this purpose, contributing to national water resource protection strategies.