Using GIS for the Comparison of Intrinsic Parametric Methods Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability to Pollution in Scenarios of Semi Arid Climate. The Case of Foussana Groundwater in the Central of Tunisia

Abstract

Groundwater vulnerability maps have become a standard tool for protecting groundwater resources from pollution. They are especially valuable in the decision making process related to land use planning. In fact, mangers have mostly little experience and expertise at hand to decide which land uses and activities are to be allowed in certain areas without causing a negative impact on the quality of groundwater. Hence, numerical modeling of various hydrological parameters and assessment of vulnerability to potential pollution of water resources in Tunisia has been the subject of several studies since 1980. These water resources are becoming increasingly scarce, overexploited, poorly distributed and most especially polluted including Mioplio quaternary Foussana Aquifer located in the western of the Kasserine area in the central Tunisia, which is considered as an economic resource priority because it is used in irrigation and domestic consumption. The area of the aquifer is essentially occupied by agricultural areas characterized by an important use of chemical fertilizers which are in addition to the discharge of industrial zones, an ongoing risk to the groundwater quality; this prompts us to a hydrological study and vulnerability late attributed to improve management of water resources in the study area. In this context, the use of GIS and remote sensing seems to be an effective tool the aquifer vulnerability evaluation, by applying various methods: standard DRASTIC, GOD, SINTACS and SI. The application of these methods shows that the most vulnerable zone is the southern part of the Foussana aquifer. So these maps could serve as a scientific basis for sustainable land use planning and groundwater management in the study area.