The assessment of groundwater vulnerability to pollution has proved to be a useful tool to delimitate zones affected by groundwater contamination. For this reason, development of groundwater vulnerability maps became a useful tool for protecting groundwater resources from pollution. The Smar aquifer belongs to maritime Djeffara (southeastern Tunisia); it is essentially occupied by agricultural areas characterized by an intensive use of chemical fertilizers. The vulnerability mapping was performed by using (i) DRASTIC method (intrinsic vulnerability) that takes into account seven parameters and (ii) Susceptibility Index (SI) method (specific vulnerability) that considers five parameters. The results show that the study area is classified into three classes of vulnerability: low, medium and high for the two methods with an uneven spatial distribution. Most of the study area belongs to the class of medium vulnerability (74% and 46% of the total area for the DRASTIC and SI methods, respectively). Indeed, the validation of DRASTIC and SI models with nitrates values revealed correlation coefficient values of about 61% and 73%, respectively. The comparison between the two methods shows that the SI method is more significant for the study area. Hence, these maps could serve as a scientific basis in groundwater management.
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1 May 2017
This article was originally published in
Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua
Article Contents
Research Article|
March 02 2017
Comparison between an intrinsic and a specific vulnerability method using a GIS tool: case of the Smar aquifer in Maritime Djeffara (southeastern Tunisia)
Bachaer Ayed;
1Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory (LR3E), National School of the Engineers, B.p.w.3038 Sfax, Tunisia
E-mail: [email protected]
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Ikram Jmal;
Ikram Jmal
1Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory (LR3E), National School of the Engineers, B.p.w.3038 Sfax, Tunisia
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Samir Sahal;
Samir Sahal
2CRDA-Medenine ARE, Higher Institute of Sciences and Technology of Water, Gabes (ISSTEGb), Tunisia
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Fatma Ben Brahim;
Fatma Ben Brahim
1Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory (LR3E), National School of the Engineers, B.p.w.3038 Sfax, Tunisia
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Emna Boughariou;
Emna Boughariou
1Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory (LR3E), National School of the Engineers, B.p.w.3038 Sfax, Tunisia
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Naziha Mokadem;
Naziha Mokadem
1Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory (LR3E), National School of the Engineers, B.p.w.3038 Sfax, Tunisia
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Salem Bouri
Salem Bouri
1Water, Energy and Environment Laboratory (LR3E), National School of the Engineers, B.p.w.3038 Sfax, Tunisia
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Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2017) 66 (3): 186–198.
Article history
Received:
July 09 2016
Accepted:
January 12 2017
Citation
Bachaer Ayed, Ikram Jmal, Samir Sahal, Fatma Ben Brahim, Emna Boughariou, Naziha Mokadem, Salem Bouri; Comparison between an intrinsic and a specific vulnerability method using a GIS tool: case of the Smar aquifer in Maritime Djeffara (southeastern Tunisia). Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 May 2017; 66 (3): 186–198. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2017.081
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