Guide for valuing mud extracted from dam reservoirs in Morocco

Abstract

All over the world, dam managers are constantly confronted with the siltation of dam reservoirs. This natural phenomenon represents a menace to the safety of the dam; because sediments deposited amplifies the load applied to the dam and shut off the dam’s bottom outlet. It also reduces the usable capacity of the reservoir and degrades the quality of the water stored (pollution, eutrophication, turbidity, etc.). In arid and semi-arid countries like Morocco, de-silting stays the best solution for silted dams. However, when we de-silt dam reservoirs, we produce enormous volumes of mud, which represent potential pollution for the environment and occupy immense terrains. Our research was carried out on the possible uses of these sediments. It has enabled us to develop a valuation guide in Civil Engineering, Agriculture, crafts, and the environment sectors. This guide provides a framework for performing tests and analyses to do on the sediments to compare them with the limit values required by regulations and standards in several economic sectors. The results of these evaluations help us to find the most appropriate uses of the sediments in the sectors mentioned above.