Abstract
Amman-Zerqa Basin (AZB) is a major basin in Jordan. The concentration of economic, agricultural and social activities within the basin makes it of prime importance to Jordan. Intensive agricultural practices are widespread and located close to groundwater wells, which pose imminent threats to these resources. Groundwater contamination is of particular concern as groundwater resources are the principal source of water for irrigation, drinking and industrial activities. A DRASTIC model integrated with GIS tool has been used to evaluate the groundwater vulnerability of AZB. The Drastic index map showed that only 1.2% of the basin’s total area of 3792 km2 lies in the no vulnerable zone and about 69% is classified as having low pollution potential. The results also revealed that about 30% of the catchment area is moderately susceptible to pollution potential and slightly 1% is potentially under high pollution risk. These results suggest that almost one third of the AZB is at moderate risk of pollution potential. These areas are mainly in the north-east and central parts of the basin where the physical factors (gentle slope and high water table) would allow more contaminants to easily move into the shallow groundwater aquifer. Areas with high vulnerability to pollution are largely located in the center of Amman old city.
Highlights
Water shortage in Jordan has long been identified as a critical constraint to its future development and the single most challenge to generation
The Drastic index map showed that only 1.2% of the basin’s total area of 3792 km2 lies in the no vulnerable zone and about 69% is classified as having low pollution potential
The results revealed that about 30% of the catchment area is moderately susceptible to pollution potential and slightly 1% is potentially under high pollution risk
Summary
Water shortage in Jordan has long been identified as a critical constraint to its future development and the single most challenge to generation. The Amman-Zarqa Basin (AZB) is a major hydrological basin in Jordan, which is located in the transitional area between the western highlands and the eastern desert. This is reflected by the climatic variations (from wet to dry), and by different land use patterns and large changes of habitat. As a result of the unplanned and uncontrolled development in the basin, various environmental issues have recently emerged, of these are: land degradation and desertification, mining and salinization of groundwater, reduced river base
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