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Comparative approach of three popular intrinsic vulnerability methods: case of the Beni Amir groundwater (Morocco)

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Abstract

The study of the intrinsic vulnerability of groundwater resources to pollution is an effective tool to control their quality degradation and contribute to their protection. It is used to delimit the vulnerable zones which do not withstand a large flow of pollutants introduced from the soil surface. Three methods of assessing the intrinsic vulnerability of groundwater: DRASTIC (Depth to water table, Recharge, Aquifer, Soil type, Topography, Impact of zone vadose, Hydraulic conductivity), DRSTI, and GOD (Groundwater occurrence, Overall aquifer class and Depth of water table) coupled with a geographic information system (GIS) are applied to the groundwater of Beni Amir, and they are compared in order to adopt the method which better characterizes the vulnerability of the aquifer to pollution. The validation of this application was made by measurements of the nitrate levels in the aquifer. Because the pollution of groundwater, in this plain, is a direct consequence of agricultural activities characterized by an intensive fertilizer application. The results clearly show that the rate of the coincidence, between the measured nitrate concentrations and the different classes of vulnerability of three methods, is 81.81, 54.54, 72.72, and 27.27%, respectively, for methods DRASTIC (classification of Engel et al. (Int Assoc Hydrol Sci Publi 235:521–526, 1996)), DRASTIC (classifications of Aller et al. (1987)), DRSTI, and GOD. Of this rate of coincidences, the DRASTIC method, with the classification of Engel et al. (Int Assoc Hydrol Sci Publi 235:521–526, 1996), allows a finer assessment and turns out the most representative of the study area.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been carried out in collaboration with the Agency of the Hydraulic Basin of the Oum Er Rbia (ABHOR) in Beni Mellal city (Morocco), as a result of a convention between the Faculty of Sciences and Techniques of Beni Mellal and the ABHOR. The authors thank the reviewers for their careful reading of the manuscript and their constructive comments that have significantly improved the quality of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Remote Sensing and GIS applied to Geosciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Sultan Moulay Slimane, PB 523, Beni Mellal, Morocco

    Najat Knouz & El Mostafa Bachaoui

  2. Research Team “Management and development of water resources GEVARHY,” Faculty of Science and Technology, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, PB 523, Beni Mellal, Morocco

    Abdelghani Boudhar

  3. Hydraulic Basin Agency Oum Er Rbia, Beni Mellal, Morocco

    Charkaoui Saadi

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  1. Najat Knouz
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  2. Abdelghani Boudhar
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  3. El Mostafa Bachaoui
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  4. Charkaoui Saadi
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Correspondence to Najat Knouz.

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Knouz, N., Boudhar, A., Bachaoui, E. et al. Comparative approach of three popular intrinsic vulnerability methods: case of the Beni Amir groundwater (Morocco). Arab J Geosci 11, 281 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-018-3596-1

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