Oued Massa
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Oued Massa Central Atlas Tamazight ⴰⵙⵉⴼ ⵏ ⵎⴰⵙⵙⴰ Arabic وادي ماسة |
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 Estuary of the Oued Massa |
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| Data | ||
| location | Morocco | |
| River system | Oued Massa | |
| origin |
Anti-Atlas east of Tafraoute 29 ° 42 ′ 38 ″ N , 8 ° 55 ′ 0 ″ W |
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| Source height | approx. 1080 m | |
| muzzle | south of Agadir and north of Tiznit in the Atlantic Coordinates: 30 ° 4 ′ 46 ″ N , 9 ° 40 ′ 23 ″ W 30 ° 4 ′ 46 ″ N , 9 ° 40 ′ 23 ″ W |
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| Mouth height | 0 m | |
| Height difference | approx. 1080 m | |
| Bottom slope | approx. 9 ‰ | |
| length | approx. 120 km | |
| Left tributaries | Oued Assaka | |
| Reservoirs flowed through | Barrage Youssef Ben Tachfine | |
| Small towns | Tafraoute | |
| Communities | Massa | |
The Oued Massa ( Arabic وادي ماسة, Zentralatlas-Tamazight ⴰⵙⵉⴼ ⵏ ⵎⴰⵙⵙⴰ ) is an approximately 120 km long coastal river in the Souss-Massa region in southwest Morocco .
geography
The Oued Massa rises in the comparatively rainy extreme west of the Anti-Atlas Mountains east of Tafraoute , flows through the Ammeln Valley in parts and flows into the Atlantic in the Souss-Massa National Park about halfway between the cities of Agadir and Tiznit . Since the headwaters dry up from spring to late autumn, the length of the river varies with the seasons - during and after the winter rainy season it is around 120 km; in summer and autumn it is only about 100 km (sometimes less). The entire middle reaches dry for most of the year.
Nature reserve
The Souss Massa National Park is one of the most important nature reserves in Africa because of its wealth of rare and protected birds (including the bald ibis , purple heron, etc.).
Reservoir
The reservoir ( Barrage Youssef Ben Tachfine ), which was completed in 1972, is of great importance for the irrigation of agricultural areas (approx. 18,000 ha) on the lower reaches of the river: the water is channeled through a system of canals to cultivated areas around 20 km to the north. The reservoir is also of crucial importance for the drinking water supply of the city of Tiznit. In general, the reservoir raises the groundwater level , which also benefits the flora and fauna of the Souss-Massa National Park.
