Groundwater sustainability assessment based on socio-economic and environmental variables: a simple dynamic indicator-based approach.

The Dehgolan aquifer, which lies in semiarid western Iran, was evaluated using a multi-influencing factor (MIF) analysis to determine groundwater sustainability. Eight indicators, including climatic variability, groundwater exploitation (pumping), groundwater quality, groundwater vulnerability, public participation, legal framework, water productivity, and occupation related to groundwater, were quantified and placed into a series of thematic maps within a GIS framework. Each factor was weighted based on the analyses obtained from the MIF model and the stacked maps were summed to yield a final map showing the degree of sustainability within the groundwater basin. The final groundwater sustainability map showed that 4% of the basin was in a critically unsustainable zone, 30% in an unsustainable zone, 40% in a semisustainable zone, 25% in a sustainable zone, and 1% in an ideally sustainable zone. The final map was validated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method, cross-tabulation, and chi-square tests using groundwater-level decline as a test proxy. The analysis assessed the correlation between water levels that exhibited declines versus the degree of unsustainability of water levels and sustainable water use. The area under the curve was calculated to be 88%, cross-tabulation 64.4%, and the chi-square value was 260.5 with 4 degrees of freedom and values <0.05 (3.627E-55), which suggest that the final map has statistical significance. The sustainability analysis developed is useful as a baseline for development of governance laws to implement management methods in groundwater basins and it can be applied to a wide range of aquifer types in variable climates worldwide.

L'aquifère de Dehgolan, qui se trouve dans la partie semiaride occidental de l'Iran, a fait l'objet d'une évaluation à l'aide d'une analyse des facteurs d'influence multiples (FIM) afin de déterminer la durabilité des eaux souterraines. Huit indicateurs, dont la variabilité climatique, l'exploitation des eaux souterraines (pompage), la qualité des eaux souterraines, la vulnérabilité des eaux souterraines, la participation publique, le cadre juridique, la productivité de l'eau et l'occupation des sols liée aux eaux souterraines, ont été quantifiés et placés dans une série de cartes thématiques d'un SIG. Chaque facteur a été pondéré en fonction des analyses obtenues par le modèle FIM et les cartes superposées ont été additionnées pour produire une carte finale montrant le degré de durabilité du bassin d'eau souterraine. La carte finale de la durabilité des eaux souterraines a montré que 4% du bassin était dans une zone gravement non durable, 30% dans une zone non durable, 40% dans une zone semidurable, 25% dans une zone durable, et 1% dans une zone idéalement durable. La carte finale a été validée à l'aide d'une méthode de caractéristique d'exploitation du récepteur (ROC), de tableaux croisés et de tests du chi carré utilisant la baisse du niveau des eaux souterraines comme test de proxy. L'analyse a évalué la corrélation entre les niveaux d'eau qui ont présenté des baisses et le degré de non-durabilité des niveaux d'eau et d'utilisation durable de l'eau. L'aire sous la courbe a été calculée à 88%, le tableau croisé à 64.4%, et la valeur du chi-carré était de 260.5 avec 4 degrés de liberté et des valeurs <0.05 (3.627E−55), suggérant que la carte finale a une signification statistique. L'analyse de durabilité développée est. utile comme base de référence pour le développement de lois de gouvernance pour mettre en œuvre des méthodes de gestion dans les bassins d'eaux souterraines et elle peut être appliquée à un large éventail de types d'aquifères dans des climats variables dans le monde entier.

Se evaluó el acuífero de Dehgolan, situado en la zona semiárida del oeste de Irán, mediante un análisis de factores de influencia múltiple (MIF) para determinar la sostenibilidad de las aguas subterráneas. Se cuantificaron ocho indicadores, entre ellos la variabilidad climática, la explotación de las aguas subterráneas (bombeo), la calidad y la vulnerabilidad de las aguas subterráneas, la participación pública, el marco jurídico, la productividad del agua y la ocupación relacionada con las aguas subterráneas, y se incluyeron en una serie de mapas temáticos dentro de un marco GIS. Cada factor se ponderó en función de los análisis obtenidos del modelo MIF y los mapas agrupados se sumaron para obtener un mapa final que mostraba el grado de sostenibilidad dentro de la cuenca de aguas subterráneas. El mapa final de sostenibilidad de las aguas subterráneas mostró que el 4% de la cuenca se encontraba en una zona críticamente insostenible, el 30% en una zona insostenible, el 40% en una zona semisostenible, el 25% en una zona sostenible y el 1% en una zona idealmente sostenible. El mapa final se validó mediante un método de características operativas del receptor (ROC), tabulaciones cruzadas y pruebas de chi-cuadrado utilizando el descenso del nivel de las aguas subterráneas como prueba de aproximación. El análisis evaluó la correlación entre los niveles de agua que presentaban descensos frente al grado de insostenibilidad de los niveles de agua y el uso sostenible del agua. El área bajo la curva se calculó en un 88%, la tabulación cruzada en un 64.4%, y el valor de chi-cuadrado fue de 260.5 con 4 grados de libertad y valores <0.05 (3.627E−55), lo que sugiere que el mapa final tiene significación estadística. El análisis de sostenibilidad desarrollado es útil como base para el desarrollo de normas de gobernanza para implementar métodos de gestión en las cuencas subterráneas y puede aplicarse a una amplia gama de tipos de acuíferos en climas variables en todo el mundo.

O aquífero Dehgolan, que fica no semiárido oeste do Irã, foi avaliado através da análise do fator de múltipla influência (FMI) para determinar a sustentabilidade das águas subterrâneas. Oito indicadores, incluindo variabilidade climática, explotação de águas subterrâneas (bombeamento), qualidade das águas subterrâneas, vulnerabilidade das águas subterrâneas, participação pública, marco legal, produtividade da água e ocupação relacionada às águas subterrâneas, foram quantificados e colocados em uma série de mapas temáticos dentro de uma estrutura SIG. Cada fator foi ponderado com base nas análises obtidas do modelo FMI e os mapas empilhados foram somados para produzir um mapa final mostrando o grau de sustentabilidade dentro da bacia subterrânea. O mapa final de sustentabilidade das águas subterrâneas mostrou que 4% da bacia estava em uma zona criticamente insustentável, 30% em uma zona insustentável, 40% em uma zona semisustentável, 25% em uma zona sustentável e 1% em uma zona idealmente sustentável. O mapa final foi validado usando um método de característica operacional do receptor (COR), tabulação cruzada e testes de qui-quadrado utilizando o declínio do nível das águas subterrâneas como proxy de teste. A análise avaliou a correlação entre os níveis de água que apresentaram declínio versus o grau de insustentabilidade dos níveis de água e uso sustentável da água. A área sob a curva foi calculada em 88%, tabulação cruzada 64.4%, e o valor do qui-quadrado foi de 260.5 com 4 graus de liberdade e valores <0.05 (3.627E−55), o que sugere que o mapa final tem significado. A análise de sustentabilidade desenvolvida é útil como base para o desenvolvimento de leis de governança para implementar métodos de gestão em bacias subterrâneas e pode ser aplicada a uma ampla gama de tipos de aquíferos em climas variáveis em todo o mundo.

Index-based Groundwater Sustainability Assessment in the Socio-Economic Context: a Case Study in the Western Iran.

The groundwater sustainability of an alluvial aquifer in the western Iran was examined by using eight different social, economic, and environmental indicators. Differing types of indicators were used including groundwater extraction, groundwater quality, and groundwater vulnerability from the environmental indicators proposed by UNESCO 2007 and the legal framework, institutional capacity, public participation, knowledge generation, and promotion and water productivity from five researcher-developed indicators. A questionnaire and an AHP analysis were used to assess groundwater sustainability in the Mahidasht aquifer. Using AHP method, the indicators were formulated as spatial thematic maps resulting in calculation of the groundwater sustainability index (GSI). Then, the final GSI was divided into four categories, including sustainable, near sustainable, unsustainable, and highly or critically unsustainable. The AHP results showed that most parts of the study area are contained within the unsustainable category. The questionnaire method also showed that the study area with the score of 1.47 belongs within the unsustainable category. The validation of AHP results indicated 97% of the area had more than 1-m of drawdown in the groundwater level and 62% of it had more than 10-m of decline in the water level. The results showed that different socio-economic and environmental indicators can provide a helpful overview of groundwater sustainability conditions for future planning and decision-making in water management. Few studies of water management using socio-economic indicators have been conducted in Iran, Therefore this study provides a novel method of groundwater sustainability assessment by using the concepts of sustainable development, and integrated spatial indicators.

A GIS-expert-based approach for groundwater quality monitoring network design in an alluvial aquifer: a case study and a practical guide.

Groundwater quality monitoring is a critical part of water management in all groundwater basins. In order to be effective and to meet the required needs, groundwater quality monitoring networks (GQMNs) must be designed to be able to operate long-term and economically without minimal disruption. The analytical hierarchical process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision-making program, was used to design a GQMN for an alluvial aquifer located in the Islam Abad plain west of Kermanshah province, Iran. This semi-arid area is subject to groundwater depletion and water quality changes. The model used 8 primary criteria sub-divided with 5 sub-criteria based on a combination of empirical data and expert opinion. The primary criteria included density of wells, well discharge, well depth, water quality (conductivity), flow direction, annual groundwater extraction, water level declines, and accessibility. The model showed that 59 of 254 production wells in the basin could provide optimal monitoring locations. When a second screening of the wells was used to determine constraints (physical conditions of the wells and pumps, owner permission of use, type of the pump, etc.), the number of wells was reduced to 13 wells. An initial round of water sampling and chemical analysis demonstrated that the design of the GQMN met the goals of the water management agency of the region.

Integrating multi-criteria decision analysis for a GIS-based hazardous waste landfill sitting in Kurdistan Province, western Iran.

The evaluation of a hazardous waste disposal site is a complicated process because it requires data from diverse social and environmental fields. These data often involve processing of a significant amount of spatial information which can be used by GIS as an important tool for land use suitability analysis. This paper presents a multi-criteria decision analysis alongside with a geospatial analysis for the selection of hazardous waste landfill sites in Kurdistan Province, western Iran. The study employs a two-stage analysis to provide a spatial decision support system for hazardous waste management in a typically under developed region. The purpose of GIS was to perform an initial screening process to eliminate unsuitable land followed by utilization of a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to identify the most suitable sites using the information provided by the regional experts with reference to new chosen criteria. Using 21 exclusionary criteria, as input layers, masked maps were prepared. Creating various intermediate or analysis map layers a final overlay map was obtained representing areas for hazardous waste landfill sites. In order to evaluate different landfill sites produced by the overlaying a landfill suitability index system was developed representing cumulative effects of relative importance (weights) and suitability values of 14 non-exclusionary criteria including several criteria resulting from field observation. Using this suitability index 15 different sites were visited and based on the numerical evaluation provided by MCDA most suitable sites were determined.