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Morocco is advancing an integrated national project aimed at linking water basins, a strategic initiative to ensure water security in alignment with King Mohammed VI’s directives. Minister of Equipment and Water Nizar Baraka emphasized the significance of this endeavor, which also includes the construction of new dams, to safeguard water supply for the long term.
Strategic Water Management
In a presentation before the House of Representatives’ Committee on Infrastructure, Energy, Minerals, Environment, and Sustainable Development, Baraka outlined the intricate framework of this national project. It not only encompasses dam construction but also aims to bolster water storage capacities, critical for ensuring consistent water supply over the medium and long term. New dams, including the Kouzat Bernadi dam, are vital components of this system, facilitating the transfer of water from the relatively abundant northern basins—such as the Loukkos, Sebou, and Oued Rabat—to the Am Rabii basin. This initiative, dubbed the “Highway of Water,” is expected to enable the transfer of up to 1.2 billion cubic meters annually.
Addressing Water Scarcity
Baraka warned that the interdependence of these water infrastructures makes their simultaneous completion essential; any delays could jeopardize the entire network, undermining the water supply to major cities. In addressing the challenges of water resource management, the ministry has adopted a proactive approach to tackle sediment accumulation in reservoirs, utilizing flooding periods for sediment flushing. This strategy has restored a significant amount of storage capacity.
Recent bathymetric studies found a 15-20% loss of reservoir capacity, but recent interventions have reduced that deficit by 5-7%. The connection project between the Sebou and Oued Rabat basins, completed within a record timeframe from October 2023 to December 2025, has successfully transferred approximately 953 million cubic meters of water, averting a severe drought crisis in urban centers like Casablanca and Rabat.
Averting Crisis and Future Planning
With the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah reservoir currently holding around 85 million cubic meters, which falls short of annual needs exceeding 400 million cubic meters for these cities, Baraka asserted that swift action prevented reliance on expensive alternatives, such as trucking water at costs between 30 and 50 dirhams per cubic meter, which would burden state finances.
As the reservoir’s water level rises above 90%, operations for further water transfers have temporarily halted, demonstrating the project’s critical role in future expansions toward the Am Rabii basin. The minister also highlighted the significance of the Unity Dam, Morocco’s largest with a capacity nearing 3 billion cubic meters, currently filled to about 62%, which supports transfer operations for cities like Casablanca, Marrakech, and Safi.
Innovative Solutions for Water Supply
Looking to ease pressure on existing dams, Baraka noted the expansion of seawater desalination plants, which cities such as El Jadida and Safi have already begun to use. Other cities, including Marrakech and Khouribga, will gradually adopt this method, allowing surface water to be redirected to agricultural sectors that face water shortages, particularly in the Doukkala and Chaouia regions.
The pressing need for inter-basin connection has been underscored as a strategic imperative for food security. Baraka announced plans to launch the second phase of the “Highway of Water,” in partnership with the United Arab Emirates. This phase will increase the volume of transferred water from 400 million to 700 million cubic meters annually and will extend connectivity to the Al Massira dam for enhanced supply-demand balance.
In conclusion, Baraka reaffirmed that these initiatives fall within Morocco’s national water plan through 2050, which seeks to sustainably meet at least 80% of future needs, bolstering the country’s resilience against climate change and prospective challenges.
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Morocco continues its national project to link water basins, ensuring long-term water security amid climate challenges, as outlined by Minister Nizar Baraka.
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Morocco is on the frontlines of water security, launching ambitious projects to link water basins and ensure sustainable supply for the future.
