Effet des conditions climatiques sur le niveau du lac Sidi Ali (Moyen Atlas, Maroc)

Lake Sidi Ali is a natural lake at high altitude (2070-2080 m), without surface outlet, determined by the dam of a basalt flow. With an apparent catchment of 15.6 km2, it is fed by runoff and karst springs. Its level shows strong annual and interannual variations, depending on weather conditions, particularly rainfall and evapotranspiration. Droughts that have marked the last three decades have resulted in a lowering of about 7 m of the water level. But heavy rainfall that occurred in 2008-09 and 2009-10 caused a marked rise. A multiple regression of sufficient quality (r = 0.87) binds the annual change (from august to august) at differents parameters (weather conditions and initial level of the lake).