Abstract
Increasing pressure on water supply worldwide, especially in arid areas, has resulted in groundwater overexploitation and contamination, and subsequent deterioration of the groundwater quality and threats to public health. Environmental risk assessment of regional groundwater is an important tool for groundwater protection. This study presents a new approach for assessing the environmental risk assessment of regional groundwater. It was carried out with a relative risk model (RRM) coupled with a series of indices, such as a groundwater vulnerability index, which includes receptor analysis, risk source analysis, risk exposure and hazard analysis, risk characterization, and management of groundwater. The risk map is a product of the probability of environmental contamination and impact. The reliability of the RRM was verified using Monte Carlo analysis. This approach was applied to the lower Liaohe River Plain (LLRP), northeastern China, which covers 23604 km2. A spatial analysis tool within GIS which was used to interpolate and manipulate the data to develop environmental risk maps of regional groundwater, divided the level of risk from high to low into five ranks (V, IV, III, II, I). The results indicate that areas of relative risk rank (RRR) V cover 2324 km2, covering 9.8% of the area; RRR IV covers 3986 km2, accounting for 16.9% of the area. It is a new and appropriate method for regional groundwater resource management and land use planning, and is a rapid and effective tool for improving strategic decision making to protect groundwater and reduce environmental risk.
Highlights
Groundwater is one of the most important sources of drinking water worldwide [1]
Environmental risk assessment of regional groundwater is an important tool for groundwater protection, which can be applied at different scales, and which, when coupled with groundwater vulnerability index, should be complete, relevant, and functional
A relative risk model (RRM) of regional GERA, which is similar to ecological risk assessment procedures, including the definition and formulation of the study area, receptor analysis, risk source analysis, exposure and hazard analysis, risk characteristics, and risk management, was developed by analyzing the exposure response pathways of the regional groundwater environment
Summary
Groundwater is one of the most important sources of drinking water worldwide [1]. It has gradually become more and more seriously polluted [2], [3], [4]. Groundwater contamination is a widespread issue associated with the process of urbanization [5], [6], induced degradation of natural groundwater quality and quantity [7], [8]. To evaluate the degree to which groundwater has been affected by human activities, and to provide basic data for groundwater resource. RRM for Regional Groundwater; A Case Study in the LLRP, China
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
