Hydrochemical Characterization and Predictive Modeling of Groundwater Quality in Karst Aquifers Under Semi-Arid Climate: A Case Study of Ghar Boumaaza, Algeria

Sabrine Guettaia, Abderrezzak Boudjema, Abdessamed Derdour (), Abdessalam Laoufi, Hussein Almohamad, Motrih Al-Mutiry and Hazem Ghassan Abdo
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Sabrine Guettaia: Laboratory n°25 Promotion of Water, Mineral and Soil Resources, Environmental Legislation and Technological Choices, University of Tlemcen, P.O. Box 119, Tlemcen 13000, Algeria
Abderrezzak Boudjema: Laboratory n°25 Promotion of Water, Mineral and Soil Resources, Environmental Legislation and Technological Choices, University of Tlemcen, P.O. Box 119, Tlemcen 13000, Algeria
Abdessamed Derdour: Artificial Intelligence Laboratory for Mechanical and Civil Structures, and Soil, University Center of Naama, P.O. Box 66, Naama 45000, Algeria
Abdessalam Laoufi: Laboratory n°25 Promotion of Water, Mineral and Soil Resources, Environmental Legislation and Technological Choices, University of Tlemcen, P.O. Box 119, Tlemcen 13000, Algeria
Hussein Almohamad: Department of Geography, College of Languages and Human Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah 51452, Saudi Arabia
Motrih Al-Mutiry: Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Hazem Ghassan Abdo: National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, OGS, Via Treviso 55, 33100 Udine, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: Understanding groundwater quality in karst environments is essential, particularly in semi-arid regions where water resources are highly vulnerable to both climatic variability and anthropogenic pressures. The Ghar Boumaaza karst aquifer, located in the semi-arid Tlemcen Mountains of Algeria, represents a critical yet understudied water resource increasingly threatened by climate change and human activity. This study integrates hydrochemical analysis, multivariate statistical techniques, and predictive modeling to assess groundwater quality and characterize the relationship between total dissolved solids (TDSs) and discharge (Q). An analysis of 66 water samples revealed that 96.97% belonged to a Ca 2+ –HCO 3 − facies, reflecting carbonate rock dissolution, while 3% exhibited a Cl − –HCO 3 − facies associated with agricultural contamination. A principal component analysis identified carbonate weathering (40.35%) and agricultural leaching (18.67%) as the dominant drivers of mineralization. A third-degree polynomial regression model (R 2 = 0.953) effectively captured the nonlinear relationship between TDSs and flow, demonstrating strong predictive capacity. Independent validation (R 2 = 0.954) confirmed the model’s robustness and reliability. This study provides the first integrated hydrogeochemical assessment of the Ghar Boumaaza system in decades and offers a transferable methodological framework for managing vulnerable karst aquifers under similar climatic and anthropogenic conditions.

Keywords: karst; water; Ghar Boumaaza; Tlemcen; aquifer; hydrochemistry; sustainable management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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