The Romans called this river Malva.
The Moulouya River formed the eastern border of the Rif Republic in the 1920s, a small part of Morocco containing important cities like Saïdia and Oujda lying to the east, between the Moulouya and the border with Algeria. Until 1956 the river also formed the eastern border of the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco.
Ecology
In August 2011 fish were killed by pollutants in the Moulouya River and local residents feared for their crops and livestock.