Evolution of the Downstream Region Morphology of the Oualidia Lagoon

Abstract

The Oualidia lagoon, located between El Jadid and Safi, is one of the sites in Morocco where oyster farming has developed in an artisanal manner since the 1950s. Currently, the main problem in coastal areas is that they suffer from rising sea levels which are expected to increase coastal erosion. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Studies (IPCC, 2007), this rise in sea level is mainly due to global warming. Thus, among the problems that lagoons suffer from, as being partially closed areas, is the filling of these entities following an excessive supply of sediments of marine or terrestrial origin? As a result, the downstream part of the Oualidia lagoon has moved towards the southwest and tends to close the main channel by sedimentation of the sand. In response to this closure, a secondary channel was created at the northeastern part in front of the royal palace by erosion and transport of sand by the tidal current during the period of high and low tide of the lagoon. Also, the circulation of water in the lagoon remained intense and is characterized by strong hydrodynamics despite the change in the downstream morphology of the Oualidia lagoon.