GROUNDWATER VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT IN THE M’ZAB VALLEY - SOUTHERN ALGERIA

R. ZEGAIT, B. REMINI, H. BENSAHA

Abstract


The water pollution risk is considering a topical subject in Algeria and throughout the world, especially in view of the problems of water scarcity and the climate change phenomena. The infiltration of untreated urban waste into the subsoil presents a major risk of pollution for groundwater close to the surface and which constitutes an important source of water in arid areas.

In the Algerian Sahara, the M'Zab valley has recently experienced a critical health and environmental situation, the latter is due to major urban discharges into nature without any means of protection and preservation and especially at El-Atteuf oasis in the downstream of the M'Zab wadi. In this regard, the main objective of this work is to assess the intrinsic vulnerability to pollution of the phreatic aquifer in the M'Zab valley. In this work and through several parameters, the vulnerability study was carried out by applying three methods (GOD, DRASTIC and SINTACS) using piezometric observations for 62 wells. The results are presented in the form of several maps developed by GIS. These maps can be considered as a helper tool for planners and managers to improve the environmental situation of the M'Zab valley.


Keywords


Urban discharge, Groundwater pollution, Vulnerability methods, Mapping.

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References


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