干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

In arid and semi-arid regions of the world, sustainable social-economic development relies almost exclusively on the availability of good quality groundwater. Pro-active management of these resources is vital, and reliable assessments of aquifer vulnerability are an important component of the overall management plan. In southwest Iran, the universally popular DRASTIC method of vulnerability assessment was implemented using the Analytic Element Method (AEM) to determine the depth to water input parameter, and compared to vulnerability assessments obtained using the standard DRASTIC approach. Vulnerability maps were also prepared through statistical analysis of aquifer characteristics and water quality data using the Weights of Evidence (WoE) approach. A comparison of the four vulnerability maps produced for the region showed DRASTIC, with and without AEM refinement, to be a reliable method of vulnerability assessment. The AEM proved to be a valuable means of estimating the depth to water input parameter when well data are severely limited.