In several areas, many social, economic, and physical subsystems interact around water resources. Integrated water management is applied to maximize economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems, mainly in hydrologic-stressed areas. The Souss-Massa basin, with its semi-arid climate, has a significant demand for agricultural, industrial, tourism, and domestic water. It constitutes a complex system where the lack of knowledge of all the interacting subsystems has led to a shortage of water in quantity and quality. The objective of this study is to investigate the interactions between supply and demand at different stages using a System Dynamics (SD) approach. The model developed promotes a holistic understanding of the interactions between the different problem indicators that operate in water resources management in order to support decision-making action and successfully manage water resources at the Souss-Massa basin scale. The chosen performance indicator is based on the achievement of a baseline sustainability index (SI) defined as the ratio of available water to supply water that should be higher than 20% to avoid a water stress situation. The multisource data were gathered from different government agencies for the period spanning between 2007 and 2020. The results showed that the current policies do not lead to sustainable water management. Groundwater withdrawals have increased considerably, from 747 Mm³ in 2007 to 4884 Mm³ in 2020. The balance between water supply and demand is only reached for three years, 2010, 2015, and 2018, without ever reaching an SI of 20%. The sensitivity analysis showed that the sustainability of water resources in the Souss-Massa basin is mainly impacted by the availability of surface water, irrigated areas, and irrigation efficiency. This study will be of great interest to policymakers to provide optimal and sustainable water management strategies based on improved water use efficiency, and to contribute to the sustainable development agenda in arid and semi-arid regions.

Population growth and socio-economic development, combined with the effects of climate change, are contributing to severe water scarcity in the Souss-Massa basin. This critical situation highlights the need for new management approaches based on system dynamics for a better understanding of the complex interactions of water resources. This chapter focuses on the development of a system dynamics model to analyze the hydro-socio-economic problems associated with water consumption in the Souss-Massa basin, offering potential solutions to ensure the sustainability of water resources. The results underline the urgency of changing consumer behavior and investing in long-term strategies to prevent and mitigate future water shortages. They also show the importance of a participatory approach integrating eco-responsible practices into the planning of future water management policies in order to inform decision-makers.