Integrated water resources management and adaptation to climate change

Abstract

In Morocco, the management of water resources, characterized by scarcity and irregularity, has to cope with the increasing pressure of demands as well as climate change. Adaptation measures to these changes are needed to ensure sustainable resource development. This article presents the problem of water resources management in the face of climate change. A bibliographic review on hydrological modeling and stationarity of climatic conditions is presented. The article deals with the various tools used for decision making and presents the global approach to the management of hydraulic systems in a context of climate change. The case of the Sebou basin is presented as an example; this basin drains a third of the surface waters of Morocco. Several natural and anthropogenic components govern its hydrological cycle. A synthesis of previous works on the combined impact of hydraulic structure and climate change on this basin is presented. The analysis of the various models frequently used in the management of water resources leads to raising certain limits and highlights the need to develop other more appropriate approaches and tools. In particular, an integrated approach to assess the resilience of hydraulic systems to climate change and the evolution of water demands.

Keywords

• Water resources
• hydraulic system
• climate change
• adaptation