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Article ID: IJCIET_09_05_124 Electrical Tomography in the Study of The

Marine Intrusion of Sahel-Doukkala

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International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET)
Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2018, pp. 1111–1120, Article ID: IJCIET_09_05_124
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=5
ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316

© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed

CONTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICAL
TOMOGRAPHY IN THE STUDY OF THE
MARINE INTRUSION OF SAHEL-DOUKKALA,
MOROCCO
H. Soussi, L. Bahi, L. Ouadif, J. El kasri, A. Bahi
3GIE Laboratory, Mineral Engineering Department,
Mohammadia Engineering School, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
B. Aghazzaf
Hydraulic Basin Agency of Oum Er Rbia, Morocco

ABSTRACT
Coastal areas are very sensitive to degradation, due to the increasing urbanization
of the coastline and overexploitation. Furthermore, these areas are prone to the risk of
marine intrusion that can be increased when the water demand exceeds the available
resources. For this reasons, it is necessary to limitate seawater intrusion and to monitor
its evolution, in order to prevent any exploitation of coastal groundwater. The study
area: coastal aquifer of El Jadida-Safi is one of the Sahel regions that are exposed to
risk of marine intrusion that may have an impact on the water resource such as:
reducing the available volume of fresh water, the contamination of the exploited wells
and subsequently the increase of their salinity. The study was based on inversion,
reinterpretation and modeling of 19 electrical profiles perpendicular to the coast, to
detect the extension of seawater intrusion in the region.
Key words: Seawater Intrusion, Sahel-Doukkala, Electrical Resistivity Tomography,
Coastal Area.
Cite this Article: H. Soussi, L. Bahi, L. Ouadif, J. El kasri, A. Bahi and B. Aghazzaf,
Contribution of Electrical Tomography in the Study of The Marine Intrusion of Sahel-
Doukkala, Morocco, International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(5),
2018, pp. 1111–1120.
http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=9&IType=5

1. INTRODUCTION
Seawater intrusion is a dangerous phenomenon affecting coastal aquifers and a significant
constraint that has serious consequences on the quality of fresh groundwater for human,
industrial and irrigation use [1]. The ingress of sea water to the continent is linked to natural
factors (type of aquifer, hydrodynamic properties, recharge and sea level) and exploitation
factors (drinking water , tourism, agriculture, industries) [2,3]. The heavy pumping operation

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 H. Soussi, L. Bahi, L. Ouadif, J. El kasri, A. Bahi and B. Aghazzaf

reduces the flow of the aquifer to the sea and causes saltwater intrusion into the coastal zone [4,
5]. Electrical resistivity tomography (ETR) has been widely used for the detection of coastal
areas characterized by a high rate of salinization of a marine origin. Using the method of
electrical resistivity tomography, several authors [6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13] have tried to predict
the position of the interface freshwater and marine water. The coastal Sahel aquifer studied in
this paper present marine intrusion phenomen that results from the non-equilibrium between
recharge and intense exploitation, which is due to an intense pumping of groundwater in order
to cope with the high population density and economic development based on beach tourism
[14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]. This study aims to examine seawater intrusion in this aquifer based
on the analysis and interpretation of tomographic data.

2. PRESENTATION OF THE STUDY AREA

The study area stretches over a length of 110 km and an average width of 25 km, between the
city of El Jadida, to the north, and the city of Safi, to the south (Figure 1). The geology and
hydrogeology of the region has been described by Michel Ferre and Jean-Paul Ruhard [21]. The
area is characterized by different geological formation:
• Plioquaternary deposits contain the shallow aquifer in direct contact with the ocean whose
thickness can reach 80m. The supply of the water table in these formations comes from the
infiltration of ocean rains.
• Limestone and yellow marl of Cenomanian age outcrop to the north of El Jadida Plateau by
Plioquaternary erosion. Their permeability is important because of their high karstification.
• Red clay is a good waterproof layer of the upper Hauterivian which separates the Plioquaternary
from the middle Hauterivian. These clays are locally eroded near the coast.
• Dridrate Limestone of the middle Hauterivian is also an aquifer formation in the coastal Sahel.
The depths of the roof of Dridrate limestones can reach 80 to 90 m. The shallow depths (10 to
20m) are near the ocean.
• Gray or green clay called Safi marl of the lower Hauterivian, whose thickness reaches 60 m,
forms the impermeable wall of the Dridrate limestones and the roof of the Valanginian.

Figure 1 Geological and geographical location of the study area

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 Contribution of Electrical Tomography In The Study of The Marine Intrusion of Sahel-Doukkala,
Morocco

3. METHODOLOGY
The method adopted in this study is the electrical resistivity tomography, that allows to
determine the resistivity of the materials of the subsoil. This resistivity is measured by injecting
an electric current into the ground via two injection electrodes, A and B, while the potential
difference is measured between two measuring electrodes M and N [22]. In the case of a
heterogeneous environment, the apparent resistivity ρa [Ω.m] is given by the following relation:
∆
= = . ( )

= ( )
− − −
Where, K : Is the geometric factor, in meters, calculated from the Spacing between the
electrodes.
∆
= : Ohm's law which links the intensity of the electric current I [A] and the potential
difference ΔV [V] with the resistance R of the environment in which the current is injected [23].
Nineteen electrical resistivity tomography profiles (Figure 2) were carried out in the area in
2012 by the Hydraulic Basin Agency Oum Er Rbia (ABHOER). According to a Wenner device
with 72 electrodes with a pitch of 10 m. The lateral extension of the profiles is 710 to 1430 m
with a maximum depth of investigation of 120 m. The apparent resistivities are processed by
the RES2DINV software using the Loke and Barker fast inversion algorithm based on a
generalized least squares optimization method (1996). The combination of inverted geo-
electrical images with geological sections and geological boreholes made it possible to map the
marine intrusion.

Figure 2 Localization of electrical resistivity tomography profiles and geological sections

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The seven geological sections (Figure 3) modified from Ferré and Ruhard reveal the nature of
the lands traversed by boreholes in the Sahel. The main formations include deposits which are
dominated by limestone facies. The lower Cretaceous is characterized by a set of aquifers

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 H. Soussi, L. Bahi, L. Ouadif, J. El kasri, A. Bahi and B. Aghazzaf

constituting the stable substratum of the Plioquaternary. It contains Safi clays, Dridrate
limestones and red sandy clays of upper Hauterivian. The Plioquaternary aquifer is composed
mainly of detrital limestone and rests directly on the Dridrate limestone near the sea. For a better
interpretation and in order to make the profiles comparable, the same resistivity scale was used
during the inversion, where the interval between 1 and 30 Ωm corresponds to the zone where
we try to characterize the marine intrusion.
The ERT profiles P1, P2 and P3 (Figure 4), were executed on the lagoon of Sidi Moussa,
respectively at 170 m (P1), 657 m (P2), and 564 m (P3) far from the ocean. These profiles show
a spatial evolution of the resistivity from one profile to another. The most conductive zones
correspond to the upper quarter, they clearly show a possible pollution due to brackish water
and salt water. The two aquifers of Plioquaternary detrital limestones and Hauterivien Dridrate
limestones are saturated by marine waters at a depth of 70 m for P1, 60 m for profile P2, while
P3 clearly indicates saltwater intrusion at 100 m. The lateral extension of marine intrusion
varies from 800 m (P1), 360 m (P2), to nearly 500 m in Profile 3. The rest of the profiles
(resistivity> 200 Ωm) corresponds to detrital limestones and Dridrat limestones invaded with
fresh water.
Six ERT profiles were performed towards the south of Sidi Moussa (Figure 5), with a
distance of 141 m (P4), 161 m (P5), 310 m (P6), 70 m (P7), 78 m (P8) and 58 m (P9), from the
coast. It seems clear that all profiles are affected by salt water. A conductive layer, 1 to 30 Ω.m,
whose color is blue, is present on all profiles. It corresponds to the detrital limestones at the top
and the Dridrate limestones at the bottom saturated in salt water. The thickness of this
conductive zone is very variable, it reaches a maximum value of 80 m for Profiles 4,5,6,8, and
70 m for Profile 7 and 9. The salinization of the two Plioquaternary and Hauterivian aquifers
extends to the east on 480 m (P4), 930 m (P5), 700 m (P6), 580 m (P7), 960 m (P8) and 670 m
for P9. The high conductivity can be related to the presence of salt water of marine origin, but
at greater depths (> 120 m), the salinity can be of evaporitic origin.
Figure 6 shows the profiles executed at Oualidia at 141 m (P10), 161 m (P11), 310 m (P12),
70 m (P13), 78 m (P14) and 58 m (P15), near the ocean. These profiles show two types of
resistivities. According to the calibration of the profiles with the geology (boreholes 223/26,
221/26, 235/26, 1531/26 and the two sections C and D), the two Plioquaternary and Hauterivian
aquifers saturated with salt water correspond to the conductive zone, whose saturation depth is
100 m (P13), 90 m (P12), 20-100 m (P14) and 30-100 for P15 . Although P10 and P11 have
low resistivity values (10-30 Ωm), it does not correspond to a marine intrusion but a presence
of Jurassic limestones loaded with salts of gypsum origin (beyond 100 m deep).

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 Contribution of Electrical Tomography In The Study of The Marine Intrusion of Sahel-Doukkala,
Morocco

Figure 3 Geological sections of the Sahel modified from Ferré and Ruhard (1975)
The laterale extension presents a difference from one profile to another, it reaches 360 m
for P12, 560 m for P13, 480 m for P14 and 380 for P15. The range of resistivities between 100
and 4000 Ω.m, corresponds to dry Plioquaternary formations and Dridrate limestones saturated
with fresh water.
The ERT profiles P16, P17, P18 and P19 located at SW of Oualidia,were performed
respectively at a distance of 30 m, 120 m, 111 m and 164 m from the coast (Figure 7).These
inverted profiles show resistivity fluctuations due to the heterogeneity of the content of these
formations. The extent of marine intrusion in this area is less important in comparison with
other profiles (Figure 4.5.6). The conductive zones (Profiles 16,18), progress in the same way,
they coincide with the aquifer of detrital limestones and Dridrate limestones saturated in
brackish water and salt water. In P17 the marine intrusion is absent. The penetration length of
salt water towards the continent decreases from north to south by 310 m in P16 to 180 m for
P18 and less than 160 on P19.

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 H. Soussi, L. Bahi, L. Ouadif, J. El kasri, A. Bahi and B. Aghazzaf

Figure 4 Profiles of electrical reistivity tomography P1, P2, P3

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Contribution of Electrical Tomography In The Study of The Marine Intrusion of Sahel-Doukkala,
Morocco

Figure 5 Profiles of electrical reistivity tomography P4, P5, P6, P7, P8, P9

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 H. Soussi, L. Bahi, L. Ouadif, J. El kasri, A. Bahi and B. Aghazzaf

Figure 6 Profiles of electrical resistivity tomography P10, P11, P12, P13, P14, P15, with lithologie of
geological boreholes of Oualidia

Figure 7 Profiles of electrical resistivity tomography P16, P17, P18, P19

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 Contribution of Electrical Tomography In The Study of The Marine Intrusion of Sahel-Doukkala,
Morocco

5. CONCLUSION
The correlation between two dimensional electrical tomography profiles and geological
sections, allowed us to determine the saltwater intrusion in sandstone limestones and Dridrate
limestones at a maximum depth of 80 m at the Sidi Moussa lagoon. Laterally, this seawater
intrusion is limited in the first kilometer near the Atlantic Ocean (P1, P5, P8), it has a limited
extent on the border SW towards the city of Safi. In general, the effect of the marine intrusion
into the coastal strip decreases from north to south of the zone. Seawater intrusion in the study
area is favored by several factors such as: the direct contact of the two Plioquaternary and
Hauterivian aquifers with the sea, the presence of the two lagoons of Sidi Moussa and Oualidia
and the change of facies all along the coast.

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