Gilles Boulet

Evaluation of the Snowmelt Runoff Model in the Moroccan High Atlas mountains using two snow-cover estimates.

Abstract In the centre of Morocco, the High Atlas mountain range represents the most important water storage for the neighbouring arid plains through liquid and solid precipitation. In this context, we evaluated the performance of the Snowmelt Runoff Model (SRM) on the five main tributary watersheds of the High Atlas range. Due to the very low density of climate stations in the High Atlas, snowfall and snowmelt processes are difficult to monitor using meteorological data alone. In order to compensate for the lack of in situ data, snow maps are also derived from remotely-sensed data. We compared the streamflow forecasting performance when the model is driven by one or the other estimate of snow-covered area. Both estimates are generally comparable in all watersheds, and satisfactory streamflow simulations were obtained at seasonal time scales using both snow-cover products. However, significant differences can be observed for selected storms, with more accurate streamflow predictions being obtained when the remotely-sensed data are used.

Remote Sensing of Water Resources in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Areas: the joint international laboratory TREMA

Monitoring of water resources and a better understanding of the eco-hydrological processes governing their dynamics are necessary to anticipate and develop measures to adapt to climate and water-use changes. Focusing on this aim, a research project carried out within the framework of French–Moroccan cooperation demonstrated how remote sensing can help improve the monitoring and modelling of water resources in semi-arid Mediterranean regions. The study area is the Tensift Basin located near Marrakech (Morocco) – a typical Southern Mediterranean catchment with water production in the mountains and downstream consumption mainly driven by agriculture. Following a description of the institutional context and the experimental network, the main recent research results are presented: (1) methodological development for the retrieval of key components of the water cycle in a snow-covered area from remote-sensing imagery (disaggregated soil moisture from soil moisture and ocean salinity) at the kilometre scale, based on the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS); (2) the use of remote-sensing products together with land-surface modelling for the monitoring of evapotranspiration; and (3) phenomenological modelling based only on time series of remote-sensing data with application to forecasting of cereal yields. Finally, the issue of transfer of research results is also addressed through two remote sensing-based tools developed together with the project partners involved in water management and irrigation planning.

Long-term analysis of snow-covered area in the Moroccan High-Atlas through remote sensing

The High-Atlas mountainous region in Morocco is a true water tower for the neighbouring arid plains, where the water resources are intensively and increasingly subjected to exploitation for agriculture and tourism. In order to manage this resource sustainably, it is necessary to describe accurately all the processes that contribute to the hydrological cycle of the area, and, in particular, to know the respective contributions of liquid and solid precipitations to runoff. In this context, a seven-year time series of SPOT-VEGETATION images is used for mapping snow-covered areas. The spatial and temporal variations of the snow cover are analyzed for the entire High-Atlas region as well as by altitudinal zones. The spatial distribution of snow-covered areas appears logically controlled by elevation, and its temporal fluctuations can be clearly used to identify dry and wet seasons. In addition, a possible control of snowfalls by the Northern Atlantic climate variability, and, in particular, the North Atlantic Oscillation, is highlighted. Finally, this study shows how satellite remote sensing can be useful for the long-term observation of the intra- and inter-annual variability of snowpacks in rather inaccessible regions where the network of meteorological stations is deficient.

Energy fluxes and melt rate of a seasonal snow cover in the Moroccan High Atlas

ABSTRACT In this study, we used an energy balance model and two simple methods based on readily available data to identify the processes driving the point-scale energy and mass balance of the snowpack. Data were provided from an experimental site located at 3200 m. All models were evaluated by comparing observed and modelled snow water equivalents. Performances are variable from one season to the next and the energy balance model gives better results (mean of root mean square error, RMSE = 25 mm and r2 = 0.90) than the two simplified approaches (mean of RMSE = 54 mm and r2 = 0.70). There are significant amounts of snow sublimation but they are highly variable from season to season, depending on wind conditions (between 7 and 20% of the total). While the main source of energy for melting is net radiation, the amount of heat brought by sensible heat flux is significant for two of the most windy snow seasons. Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz Associate editor not assigned