Characteristics and Features of the Relief Unit of the Western Moroccan Rif: The Upper and Middle Wadi Lao Basin as a Case Study

Abstract

This article aims to identify the natural characteristics, particularly relief, which constitutes a fundamental entry point for any study in physical geography. In this research, these characteristics are referred to as “slow-changing elements,” as they evolve over hundreds of years and may extend beyond a thousand years. The relief structure includes geology, geomorphology, soils, vegetation cover, and the hydrographic network. All of these elements contribute directly and indirectly to the formation of the relief structure. The middle and upper parts of the Wadi Laou Basin, which constitute the study area, form part of the Western Rif basins and occupy a distinguished position within this geographical region due to their area of approximately 824 km². The importance of the mountainous terrain lies in its role as a natural barrier to various atmospheric disturbances, particularly Atlantic influences carrying rainfall and snowfall. This makes the area wetter on slopes and in lowlands, while snowfall is common on highlands and mountain peaks, especially during the winter season. These precipitations contribute to surface runoff through the main valley and several of its tributaries, including the Telmbot and Makou wadis. Since the basin represents a geographical system composed of both slow-changing and rapidly changing elements, these components influence the relief structure of the drainage basin. This structure, in turn, controls the available water resources, while human activities play an important role in their management through various methods and means. These factors and others are reflected directly and indirectly in human activities and patterns of geographical land use.