A hydrological–economic model for sustainable groundwater use in sparse-data drylands: Application to the Amtoudi Oasis in southern Morocco, northern Sahara

A hydrological–economic model is introduced to describe the dynamics of groundwater-dependent economics (agriculture and tourism) for sustainable use in sparse-data drylands. The Amtoudi Oasis, a remote area in southern Morocco, in the northern Sahara attractive for tourism and with evidence of groundwater degradation, was chosen to show the model operation. Governing system variables were identified and put into action through System Dynamics (SD) modeling causal diagrams to program basic formulations into a model having two modules coupled by the nexus ‘pumping’: (1) the hydrological module represents the net groundwater balance (G) dynamics; and (2) the economic module reproduces the variation in the consumers of water, both the population and tourists. The model was operated under similar influx of tourists and different scenarios of water availability, such as the wet 2009–2010 and the average 2010–2011 hydrological years. The rise in international tourism is identified as the main driving force reducing emigration and introducing new social habits in the population, in particular concerning water consumption. Urban water allotment (PU) was doubled for less than a 100-inhabitant net increase in recent decades. The water allocation for agriculture (PI), the largest consumer of water, had remained constant for decades. Despite that the 2-year monitoring period is not long enough to draw long-term conclusions, groundwater imbalance was reflected by net aquifer recharge (R) less than PI + PU (G < 0) in the average year 2010–2011, with net lateral inflow from adjacent Cambrian formations being the largest recharge component. R is expected to be much less than PI + PU in recurrent dry spells. Some low-technology actions are tentatively proposed to mitigate groundwater degradation, such as: wastewater capture, treatment, and reuse for irrigation; storm-water harvesting for irrigation; and active maintenance of the irrigation system to improve its efficiency.

Geological risk assessment of Amtoudi Agadir in southern Morocco: a key case for sustainable cultural heritage

Medieval fortified granaries known as “agadirs” are very common in southern Morocco, being catalogued as world cultural heritage by United Nations. These Berber buildings (made of stones and tree trunks) usually located on rocky promontories, constitute historical testimonials related to the origin of Morocco, and, as tourist attractions, have a positive impact on the local economy. The sustainability of these ancient monuments requires geological-risk evaluations of the massif stability under the agadir with the proposal of stabilization measures, and an architectonic analysis with appropriate maintenance of the structural elements. An interdisciplinary study including climate, seismicity, hydrology, geology, geomorphology, geotechnical surveys of the massif, and diagnosis of the degradation of structural elements have been performed on the Amtoudi Agadir, selected as a case study. The main findings from this study are that the prevalent rocks used for construction (coming from the underlying substratum) are good-quality arkosic sandstones; the SW cliffs under the agadir are unstable under water saturation; some masonry walls are too thin and lack interlocking stones and mortar; and failures in the beams (due to flexure, fracture, and exhaustion in the resistance due to insect attacks or plant roots) are common. The basic risk assessment of ancient buildings of cultural heritage and their geologic substratum are needed especially in undeveloped areas with limited capacity to implement durable conservation policies. Therefore, recommendations have been provided to ensure the stability and maintenance of this important archaeological site.

Family genealogy, 1812

One-leaf handwritten draft of a Croswell genealogy begun by William Croswell in 1812.

VI. Genealogy, ca. 1900s

This six-page handwritten genealogy of the Bailey family beginning with John Bayley (dued 1659) of Chippingham, England traces approximately four generations of family members born into the late-18th century. John Bailey (born 1765) is identified as "our grandfather." The genealogy does not include dates.

Morocco, 1853 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: North Africa or Barbary : I Marocco, Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge ; engraved by J. & C. Walker. This is map 1 of a 5 map set published by George Cox Jan. 1st, 1853. Scale [ca. 1:2,800,000]. Covers Morocco and portions of Algeria. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to a modified 'Europe Lambert Conformal Conic' projection with a central meridian of 7 degrees West. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, aqueducts, cities, villages and other human settlements, trails, bedouin tribes, and more. Relief shown by hachures. Includes inset: Plan of the city of Marocco (Scale [ca. 1:32,000]). This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection as part of the Open Collections Program at Harvard University project: Islamic Heritage Project. Maps selected for the project represent a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates, scales, and purposes. The Islamic Heritage Project consists of over 100,000 digitized pages from Harvard's collections of Islamic manuscripts and published materials. Supported by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and developed in association with the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program at Harvard University.

Morocco, 1908 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Maroc, carte dessinée par R. de Flotte de Roquevaire. It was published by Maison Andriveau-Goujon, Henry Barrère Editeur in 1908. Scale 1:1,000,000. Covers Morocco and portions of Algeria. Map in French. The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to a modified 'Europe Lambert Conformal Conic' projection with a central meridian of 7 degrees West. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, roads, ruins, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown by landforms and spot heights. Includes indexs and insets: Mazagan (Scale 1:20,000) -- Casa Blanca (Scale 1:20,000) -- Tanger (Scale 1:20,000) -- Safi (Scale 1:20,000) -- Larache (Scale 1:20,000) -- El-Qsar el-Kebir (Scale 1:20,000) -- Rabat (Scale 1:50,000) -- Taroudant (Scale 1:40,000) -- Mogador (Scale 1:20,000) -- Agadir Irir (Scale 1:20,000) -- Oujda (Scale 1:20,000) -- El-Aïoun Si Mellouk (Scale 1:10,000) -- Meknes (Scale 1:50,000) -- Fes (Scale 1:30,000) -- Figuig (Scale 1:200,000) -- Marrakech (Scale 1:60,000) -- Environs de Fes (Scale 1:100,000). This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection as part of the Open Collections Program at Harvard University project: Islamic Heritage Project. Maps selected for the project represent a range of regions, originators, ground condition dates, scales, and purposes. The Islamic Heritage Project consists of over 100,000 digitized pages from Harvard's collections of Islamic manuscripts and published materials. Supported by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and developed in association with the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Islamic Studies Program at Harvard University.

Morocco, ca. 1642 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Fezzae et Marocchi regna Africae celeberrima, describebat Abrah. Ortelius. It was published by Willem Blaeu ca. 1642. Scale [ca. 1:2,300,000]. Covers Morocco and a portion of Algeria, Portugal, and Spain. Map in Latin.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Africa Sinusoidal projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, roads and routes, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Morocco, 1728 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Statuum Maroccanorum, Regnorum nempe Fessani, Maroccani, Tafiletani et Segelomessani secundum suas provincias accurate divisorum, typus generalis novus, ex variis recentioris Geographiae adminicul depromptus et designatus a Io. Chris. Homanno M. D. It was published by Homann in 1728. Scale [ca. 1:3,000,000]. Covers Morocco and portions of Algeria, Western Sahara, and the Canary Islands, Spain. Map in Latin.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Europe Lambert Conformal Conic coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, roads and routes, administrative and territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes views of: "Der Stadt Marocco groester Theil samt dessen Koeniglichen Hof: and "Prospect der Königlichen Residens-Stadt Mequinetz", includes also an inset: "Insula Madera sub Lusitania".This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

A generall mapp of the Coast of Barbarie, where in are the Kingdoms, and Estates of Morocco, Fez, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli: also the Kingdoms, Estates and Deserts of Barca, Egipt, Libya, Biledulgerid, Segelmesse and Darha: with the circumjacent counteries

by Mounsieur Sanson ; rendred into English and illustrated by Richard Blome ; Francis Lamb Sculpit.