Identificación de diferentes tipos de flujo en acuíferos carbonatados en la cadena del Rif (N de Marruecos)

Abstract

The main springs draining some small carbonate outcrops belonging to various paleogeographic units in the northernmost part of the Rif Chain (N Morocco) have been monitored. The outflow variability together with the physico-chemical characteristics as well as the contents of the major constituents of these waters allow us to define a number of hydrogeological systems with different behaviour: Jebel Musa, Jebel Fahíes y Jebel Chinder, with HCO3-Ca, HCO3(SO4)-Ca and HCO3-Mg(Ca) water types, respectively. Springs response and hydrochemical diversity are related with (a) the lithology of the aquifers (limestone, dolostone and gypsum layers), (b) the importance of fracturing (intense in the case of metamorphic material), (c) with the development of karstification, which is more abundant in calcareous materials of Jebel Musa unit and (d) with the geometry/volume of reserves of the carbonate blocks. All these factors induce differences in the way and depth of the groundwater flow as well as in the residence time, so it could be distinguished between diffuse flow and conduit flow aquifers.