## 1 Introduction  
The rapid evolution of water needs for economic and social activities indicates that the kingdom of Morocco is currently in a transitional phase between a period when these resources were inexhaustible and the actual state where the current shortage continuesto worsen, especially in the southern regions of the kingdom [1]. This situation is due to the increasing demand for water, the overexploitation of resources, and the shortage of natural supply due to repeated periods of drought that characterize its arid to semi-arid climate [2]. Moreover, all scientific studies show that Mediterranean countries, including Morocco, are affected by global climate change, including rising temperatures and falling rainfall [3]. A vast and deplorable waste is noticed also. On a total of 16 billion m\({}^{3}\)/year of surface water, 9 billion m\({}^{3}\) are lost by evaporation, flowing to the sea or by existing leaks in the distribution networks [4]. As a result, and to be able to meet the expressed needs, the country's natural water resources must be enhanced, according to a coherent overall plan, taking into account the requirements for conservation, prevention, and protection, both in quantity and quality [5]. The cohesion of any project proposed in the past shows specific weaknesses due to the involvement of various natural parameters, which are generally difficult to assess and, above all, very dependent on climatic hazards and geological conditions [5]. This fact often complicates any attempt at an effective and appropriate management approach. These weaknesses are felt mainly in the watersheds of the southern regions, characterized by a high climatic contrast compared to those in the north [6]. In these regions, which are generally densely populated and whose economy depends mainly on agricultural activities, the overexploitation of groundwater leads to a secular decline in the groundwater level [7]. In addition, the continuous need to increase crop production and the introduction of more water-intensive crops puts increased pressure on these resources, leading to their decline in quantity [8] and quality. In Morocco, water consumption from irrigation is about 90% [9]. Understanding its impact on the hydrological cycle is necessary for efficiently managing groundwater resources and promoting more sustainable agriculture [10,11]. The high demand for food has shifted the practice of irrigation from surface water to deep groundwater irrigation, leading to its rapid decline [8,12,13]. Morocco's current total renewable water resources (surface and groundwater) are estimated at 29 billion cubic meters (BCM) per year [4]. The usable component is 20 billion cubic meters, of which 16 billion cubic meters is surface water and 4 billion cubic meters is groundwater. Approximately 70% of this potential is currently exploited (i.e., 11 billion cubic meters of surface water and 2.7 billion cubic meters of groundwater) [4]. The depletion of groundwater by these agricultural activities is of increasing concern to groundwater resource managers in Morocco [1,5,14]. The Tata region, located in southeastern Morocco, is currently facing the challenge of excessive exploitation of its deppwater resources, particularly those from the alluvial aquifer, due to the region's recent agricultural expansion. Agricultural activities in this region require approximately 82 million cubic meters of water (15,000 cubic meters per hectare) [15]. The annual volume of water used is 69.3 million cubic meters [15], with 8.3 million cubic meters per year (12%) from surface water and 61 million cubic meters per year (88%) from groundwater. Water balance calculations reveal a relatively significant deficit (15%) for agricultural perimeters. Furthermore, this deficit is expected to increase as agricultural space expands and will undoubtedly hinder the economic development of the region, which has already been weakened by climate change in recent decades.