Groundwater Vulnerability and Risk Mapping of the Northern Sfax Aquifer, Tunisia

Abstract

In recent years, the groundwater resources of coastal regions of Tunisia (Northern-Sfax) are undergoing significant exploitation and deterioration by chemical fertilizers causing an enormous degradation of their quality. In this study, DRASTIC model is integrated with the Geographical Information System (GIS), in order to assess aquifer vulnerability characteristics and risk maps. Indeed, GIS provide tools to reclassify vulnerability maps to depict areas of high, medium and low vulnerability based on some pre-specified criteria. The vulnerability map of Northern Sfax groundwater exhibits greater variability along the coast than interior section of the area. The risk map shows three classes low, moderate and high risk depending on the hydrogeological properties, land use and human impacts in major part of this study area. This approach should prove useful to regional planners and environmental managers entrusted with the protection of groundwater resources.