TY - JOUR ID - 42751 TI - Assessment of Groundwater Nitrate Pollution and Determination of Groundwater Protection Zones Using DRASTIC and Composite DRASTIC (CD) Models: The Case of Shiraz Unconfined Aquifer JO - Journal of Health Sciences & Surveillance System JA - JHSSS LA - en SN - 2345-2218 AU - Baghapour, Mohammad Ali AU - Talebbeydokhti, Nasser AU - Tabatabee, Hamidreza AU - Fadaei Nobandegani, Amir AD - Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health and Nutrition, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran AD - Department of Civil Engineering, college of engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz, IR Iran AD - Department of Epidemiology, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran AD - Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran Y1 - 2014 PY - 2014 VL - 2 IS - 2 SP - 54 EP - 65 KW - Vulnerability KW - Shiraz aquifer KW - DRASTIC KW - CD index KW - Nitrate DO - N2 - Background: Groundwater nitrate pollution is an important environmental problem in water resources management. In this regard, specific measures aiming at prevention of water pollution will be helpful to managers and decision-makers. Identification of aquifers’ vulnerable areas and determination of groundwater protection zones using most widely used models, such as DRASTIC and CD, are one of the most useful approaches in water resources’ hygiene. Objective: The present study aimed to assess the vulnerability of Shiraz plain’s unconfined aquifer using the above-mentioned models. Methods: The main hydro-geologic factors affecting the transmission of pollution, including depth to water table, net recharge, aquifer media, soil media, topography, impact of the vadose zone, aquifer hydraulic conductivity, and land use parameters were rated, weighted, and integrated using GIS 9.3. Finally, the maps of Shiraz plain’s unconfined aquifer vulnerability were prepared. Results: The vulnerability maps based on these two indexes showed very similar results, identifying the southeastern part of the aquifer, around Maharlu Lake, as the vulnerable zone. The observed nitrate concentrations from the wells in the underlying aquifer were in accordance with these findings. The results of sensitivity analyses indicated the depth parameter as the most effective parameter in vulnerability assessment of Shiraz plain. Conclusion: As Shiraz plain has been covered with fine-grained sediments, except for some central and south-east regions which have moderate vulnerability and high nitrate concentration, its vulnerability is low. Given the intensive agricultural activities and also the rise in groundwater level in southeastern regions, more attention should be paid to these areas. UR - https://jhsss.sums.ac.ir/article_42751.html L1 - https://jhsss.sums.ac.ir/article_42751_c7d04b76ded0402aff4464fb6fd86dc0.pdf ER -