Mapping groundwater contamination risk using GIS and groundwater modelling. A case study from the Gaza Strip, Palestine

Abstract

Increasing pressure on water resources worldwide has resulted in groundwater contamination, and thus the deterioration of the groundwater resources and a threat to the public health. Risk mapping of groundwater contamination is an important tool for groundwater protection, land use management, and public health. This study presents a new approach for groundwater contamination risk mapping, based on hydrogeological setting, land use, contamination load, and groundwater modelling. The risk map is a product of probability of contamination and impact. This approach was applied on the Gaza Strip area in Palestine as a case study. A spatial analyst tool within Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to interpolate and manipulate data to develop GIS maps of vulnerability, land use, and contamination impact. A groundwater flow model for the area of study was also used to track the flow and to delineate the capture zones of public wells. The results show that areas of highest contamination risk occur in the southern cities of Khan Yunis and Rafah. The majority of public wells are located in an intermediate risk zone and four wells are in a high risk zone.

Modelling and management of a Mediterranean karstic coastal aquifer under the effects of seawater intrusion and climate change

“…1) (Biondic and Bakalowicz 1975;EEA 1999;Lambrakis and Kallergis 2001;Qahman and Larabi 2006;Polemio 2005;Gomez et al 2003;Barrocu 2003;COST 2005;Davraz et al 2009;Custodio 2010;Baalousha 2011;Mutasem et al 2014).…”

Heavy Metal Pollution Investigation of Left Bank Outfall Drain of Coastal District Badin, Sindh, Pakistan by Using Arc GIS

“…GIS is apowerful tool for collecting, storing, organizing, transforming and displaying data, for specific aims from the real world [12,13,14].GIS is increasingly used in Environmental pollution studies because of its ability in spatial analysis and understanding thematic maps [15,16].Arc GIS 9.2 software was used for mapping and data interpretation. Arc GIS software was applied in this study as an important analyzing tool.…”

ARC. GIS Based Interpretation of Ground Water Pollution: A Case Study of Coastal Area District Badin, Sindh, Pakistan

“…Arc GIS software 9.2 software was used for analyzing, mapping and interpretation of data [11,12].With the utilization of coordinates of GPS of the sampling locations, a point feature showing the position of the ground water sampling area was prepared. Kml files after using GPS coordinates were developed and exported to GIS (arc map).…”