Framework for Ground Water Protection ‐ the Managua Ground Water System as an Example

Abstract

A framework for ground water protection was developed and tested in the Eastern subarea of the Managua, Nicaragua, ground water system. The framework is a planning tool aimed at identifying areas with a high need for protection to aid future land‐use decisions. The basic components of the framework are vulnerability assessment, contaminant source characterization, and assignment of a protection value. The framework is developed for a geographic information system environment. The vulnerability assessment was carried out using a modified version of the DRASTIC method. The most vulnerable parts of the study area proved to be an area with a shallow ground water table coupled with shrinking/swelling clay soils, and an area where recent porous lava flows mean high recharge and low attenuation capacity. In the contaminant sources characterization, the type of contaminant, its relative concentration, mode of deposition, duration of contaminant load, and possibility for remediation were considered. The sources characterized as emitting a high potential contamination load were concentrated in a tax‐free industrial zone and three villages. The main contaminant sources were a tannery, chemical industries, and sewage water outlets. Both the ground water vulnerability and the potential contamination load were classified as high, moderate, or low. By superimposing the potential contamination load on the vulnerability map, the ground water contamination liability was evaluated by a skewed 3x3 matrix. A relative protection value of the ground water was calculated, based on classifications of available quantities, quality, sensitivity to changes in ground water level, and present or planned use. Together, these maps form an atlas to be used for ground water protection and land‐use planning.

Water security: Debating an emerging paradigm

“…In many countries, reservoir storage for the purposes of irrigation is the salient feature of water security (El Saliby et al, 2009). This focus on water quantity also holds true for framings that widen concern from reservoir storage to consider the entire hydrological cycle (Johansson et al, 1999;Oki and Kanae, 2006;Tuinhof et al, 2005). From this perspective, water security is threatened by either water scarcity or risk of inundation that can be attributed to an inability to manage water.…”

Toward operational methods for the assessment of intrinsic groundwater vulnerability: A review

“…The most popular and widely used is the DRASTIC method (Aller et al, 1987), which has been applied in numerous studies, from the municipality to the national scale (e.g., Ehteshami et al, 1991;Kalinski et al, 1994;Napolitano and Fabbri, 1996;Lobo-Ferreira and Oliveira, 1997;Lynch et al, 1997;Melloul and Collin, 1998;Johansson et al, 1999;Kim and Hamm, 1999;Rupert, 2001;Al-Zabet, 2002;Stigter et al, 2005;Qamhieh, 2006;Tilahun and Merkel, 2010;Fijani et al, 2013;Krogulec, 2013) despite the criticism it has been subjected to (Garrett et al, 1989;Ray and O'dell, 1993;US EPA, 1993;Van Stempvoort et al, 1993;Rosen, 1994;Foster and Skinner, 1995;Frind et al, 2006;Panagopoulos et al, 2006;Dassargues et al, 2009). The name of this method is an acronym for the parameters used to assess vulnerability: Depth to water table, net Recharge, Aquifer media, Soil media, Topography, Impact of the vadose zone, and hydraulic Conductivity.…”

Impact of urbanization on the groundwater regime in a fast growing city in central India

“…Whitehead et al (2006) describes the economic aspects of the effect of urban quality improvement. Howard (1997); Bonomi and Cavallin (1997); Morris et al (1997);Gossell et al (1999); Johansson et al (1999); Lee (2000); Lóaiciga and Leipnik (2001); Athanasiadis et al (2005); Subba Rao and Reddy (2006) have suggested several measures for protection of groundwater and its sustainability in urban environments. Foster (2001) emphasizes upon the interdependence of groundwater and urbanization in rapidly developing cities.…”