Definition of the concept of exploitation risk in groundwater resources for calibrating aquifer vulnerability

Farshi Baensaf, Mohammad Reza; Rafati, Maryam; Kardan Moghaddam, Hamid

doi:10.22077/jaaq.2025.10182.1129

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Environment, NT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Water Research Institute, Ministry of Energy Water Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.

³ Water Research Institute, Ministry of Energy Water Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

10.22077/jaaq.2025.10182.1129

Abstract

In this study, the concept of exploitation risk was used to calibrate the DRASTIC vulnerability index, considering the inherent nature of vulnerability in the aquifer. The concept of risk was defined based on three parameters: nitrate concentration, water resource exploitation density, and land use changes, which were combined and prepared using a fuzzy approach. The defined concept was used to calibrate the results of the DRASTIC vulnerability index using two machine learning models. The results showed that using the risk concept for calibration was superior to using nitrate concentration due to the increased correlation, and this concept was used for calibration. The correlation between the DRASTIC vulnerability index and risk increased from 0.35 before calibration to 0.75. Based on the results obtained in the calibration stage, it was determined that the ANFIS-EO machine learning model was determined as the selected model due to the higher correlation. Parametric analysis of the vulnerability index also showed that in the DRASTIC index, 6 parameters had increased weight and consequently the rankings had increased significantly. The computational results also indicated the fact that the northern and northwestern parts of the aquifer had higher sensitivity due to the increase in nitrate concentration resulting from agricultural development and population concentration, which was clearly evident in the DRASTIC index.

Keywords

Main Subjects

ًQanat and aquifer

References

Aller. (1987). DRASTIC: A Standardized System for Evaluating Ground Water Pollution-Google Books.

Ameur, M., Aouiti, S., Hamzaoui-Azaza, F., Cheikha, L. Ben, & Gueddari, M. (2021). Vulnerability assessment, transport modeling and simulation of nitrate in groundwater using SI method and modflow-MT3DMS software: case of Sminja aquifer, Tunisia. Environmental Earth Sciences, 80(6), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12665-021-09491.

Barzegar, R., Asghari Moghaddam, A., Norallahi, S., Inam, A., Adamowski, J., Alizadeh, M. R., & Bou Nassar, J. (2020). Modification of the DRASTIC Framework for Mapping Groundwater Vulnerability Zones. Groundwater, 58(3), 441–452. https://doi.org/10.1111/GWAT.12919.

Bordbar, M., Rezaie, F., Bateni, S. M., Jun, C., Kim, D., Busico, G., Moghaddam, H. K., Paryani, S., Panahi, M., & Valipour, M. (2024). Global Review of Modification, Optimization, and Improvement Models for Aquifer Vulnerability Assessment in the Era of Climate Change. Current Climate Change Reports 2024 9:4, 9(4), 45–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/S40641-023-00192-2

Elzain, H. E., Chung, S. Y., Senapathi, V., Sekar, S., Lee, S. Y., Roy, P. D., Hassan, A., & Sabarathinam, C. (2022). Comparative study of machine learning models for evaluating groundwater vulnerability to nitrate contamination. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 229, 113061. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ECOENV.2021.113061

George, N. J., Agbasi, O. E., Umoh, A. J., Ekanem, A. M., Udosen, N. I., Thomas, J. E., Aka, M. U., & Ejepu, J. S. (2025). Enhanced contamination risk assessment for aquifer management using the geo-resistivity and DRASTIC model in alluvial settings. Cleaner Water, 3, 100060. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CLWAT.2024.100060

Guo, X., Yang, Z., Li, C., Xiong, H., & Ma, C. (2023). Combining the classic vulnerability index and affinity propagation clustering algorithm to assess the intrinsic aquifer vulnerability of coastal aquifers on an integrated scale. Environmental Research, 217, 114877. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENVRES.2022.114877

Javadi, S., Kavehkar, N., Mohammadi, K., Khodadadi, A., & Kahawita, R. (2011). Calibrating DRASTIC using field measurements, sensitivity analysis and statistical methods to assess groundwater vulnerability. Water International, 36(6), 719–732. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2011.610921

Kardan Moghaddam, H., Rahimzadeh Kivi, Z., Bahreinimotlagh, M. and Moghddam, H.K., 2022. Evaluation of the groundwater resources vulnerability index using nitrate concentration prediction approach. Geocarto International, 37(6), pp.1664-1680.

Lakshminarayanan, B., Ramasamy, S., Anuthaman, S. N., & Karuppanan, S. (2021). New DRASTIC framework for groundwater vulnerability assessment: bivariate and multi-criteria decision-making approach coupled with metaheuristic algorithm. Environmental Science and Pollution Research 2021 29:3, 29(3), 4474–4496. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11356-021-15966-0

Najafzadeh, M., Homaei, F., & Mohamadi, S. (2022). Reliability evaluation of groundwater quality index using data-driven models. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(6), 8174–8190. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11356-021-16158-6

Nejatian, N., abbaspour, M., Javidan, P., Nia, M. Y., Shacheri, F., Azizi, H., Nia, M. Y., Pazoki, A., Pazoki, M., Amiri, M. J., & Abbasi, S. (2024). Evaluation of the vulnerability and pathways of groundwater pollution in the Zanjanrud river basin by an integrated modeling approach. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment, 10(2), 2295–2308. https://doi.org/10.1007/S40808-023-01897-X

Podlasek, A., Koda, E., Vaverková, M. D., Rabek, P., Bujakowski, F., & Pietruszewski, W. (2025). Groundwater vulnerability modelling in landfill-affected areas: From conventional GOD and DRASTIC models to the novel DRASTIC-LPBM approach. Engineering Geology, 357, 108347. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENGGEO.2025.108347

Saida, S., Tarik, H., Abdellah, A., Farid, H., & Hakim, B. (2017). Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability to Nitrate Based on the Optimised DRASTIC Models in the GIS Environment (Case of Sidi Rached Basin, Algeria). Geosciences 2017, Vol. 7, Page 20, 7(2), 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/GEOSCIENCES7020020

Sorichetta, A., Ballabio, C., Masetti, M., Robinson, G. R., & Sterlacchini, S. (2013). A Comparison of Data-Driven Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment Methods. Groundwater, 51(6), 866–879. https://doi.org/10.1111/GWAT.12012

Subbarayan, S., Thiyagarajan, S., Karuppannan, S., & Panneerselvam, B. (2024). Enhancing groundwater vulnerability assessment: Comparative study of three machine learning models and five classification schemes for Cuddalore district. Environmental Research, 242, 117769. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENVRES.2023.117769

Taghavi, N., Niven, R. K., Kramer, M., & Paull, D. J. (2023). Comparison of DRASTIC and DRASTICL groundwater vulnerability assessments of the Burdekin Basin, Queensland, Australia. Science of The Total Environment, 858, 159945. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SCITOTENV.2022.159945

Taheri, K., Missimer, T. M., Maleki, A., Omidipour, R., & Majidipouri, F. (2024). Assessment of alluvial aquifer intrinsic vulnerability by a generic DRASTIC model: a discussion on data adequacy and pragmatic results. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26(6), 15125–15162. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10668-023-03240-X

Thirumalaivasan, D., Karmegam, M., & Venugopal, K. (2003). AHP-DRASTIC: software for specific aquifer vulnerability assessment using DRASTIC model and GIS. Environmental Modelling & Software, 18(7), 645–656. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-8152(03)00051-3

Journal of Aquifer and Qanat

Definition of the concept of exploitation risk in groundwater resources for calibrating aquifer vulnerability

References

References

Volume 6, Issue 2
January 2025
Pages 237-256

Definition of the concept of exploitation risk in groundwater resources for calibrating aquifer vulnerability

References

References

Volume 6, Issue 2January 2025Pages 237-256

Volume 6, Issue 2
January 2025
Pages 237-256