Northeast Morocco has experienced significant socio-economic changes that induce dramatic developments
of urban areas and massive rural exodus. The urban growth processes are sometimes poorly controlled and
occur on vulnerable areas.
Nador is located on the bottom of Gourougou foothills where many streams converge. Flooding is recurrent
phenomenon in this site. Several exceptional rainfall events and critical flow rates were recorded in the
recent decades. Thus, Nador city located on a base level plain is potentially threatened by storms falling on
too close steep slopes.
The purpose of this study is identifying and mapping areas threatened by floods in Nador. The combination of
different information layers dealing with land use, drainage network, slopes, lithology/geology and road
network, using remote sensing and GIS tools provides vulnerability indicators and allows drawing a flood risk
map. The objective is hazard causes understanding, to help early warning and to define the potential extent
of flood in threatened urban areas.