Localization of Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment Using Catastrophe Theory

Sina Sadeghfam (), Yousef Hassanzadeh (), Ata Allah Nadiri () and Mahdi Zarghami ()
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Sina Sadeghfam: University of Tabriz
Yousef Hassanzadeh: University of Tabriz
Ata Allah Nadiri: University of Tabriz
Mahdi Zarghami: University of Tabriz

Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), 2016, vol. 30, issue 13, No 8, 4585-4601

Abstract: Abstract Groundwater vulnerability is assessed by the DRASTIC method, which is more popular among the alternatives available. The challenge taken on board is to treat its inherent subjectivity in estimating the values of the embedded weights as recommended by USEPA for all aquifers. This paper uses a catastrophe based multi-objective evaluation system and applies it to the DRASTIC method to avoid undue preferences by decision maker. Thus, catastrophe fuzzy membership functions are used to treat the dependency of state variables on control parameters and thereby to determine the weights embedded in DRASTIC parameters. The proposed method estimates the weights of DRASTIC parameters with respect to local condition of study area. The Maragheh-Bonab aquifer in Iran is under threat by agricultural and industrial activities and therefore its vulnerability is assessed by the proposed method as well as by the general and pesticide DRASTIC methods. Comparison of results with the special distribution of nitrate-N (NO3-N) shows that the improved DRASTIC has a higher correlation index with respect to the general and pesticide DRASTIC methods. Also in seeking more reliability, the addition of new parameters is possible in the proposed method.

Keywords: Groundwater vulnerability; DRASTIC method; Catastrophe theory; Nitrate-N (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11269-016-1440-5

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