Mapping groundwater vulnerability to nitrate pollution from diffuse sources in the Ebro river basin (N.E. Spain)

2Citations
Citations of this article
11Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

Abstract

Nitrate pollution from diffuse sources is one of the main causes of groundwater quality deterioration on a global scale. Recent research suggests the need to minimize uncertainty in assessing groundwater vulnerability through the development of a robust methodology for the evaluation of vulnerability, using a source-pathway-receptor approach at basin scale. The LU-IV procedure (Arauzo, 2017) was devised for mapping intrinsic groundwater vulnerability (risks associated with the physical environment) and specific vulnerability to nitrate pollution (risks associated with land use in areas that are intrinsically vulnerable), with the final goal of improving the nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ) delineation. This methodology uses simple and readily available parameters combined in a GIS environment and allows us to accurately assess groundwater vulnerability in the entire catchment area that drains water (potentially polluted by nitrate) into a receptor aquifer. The application of the LU-IV procedure to the river Ebro basin (N.E. Spain) revealed a surface area of 18,757 km2 under high to extreme vulnerability to nitrate pollution, so that the affected territories could potentially be designated as NVZ. These results differ from the 9.796 km2 designated as NVZ by the Spanish regional administrations with competences in NVZ designations in the Ebro basin. Although the officially designated NVZ are consistent with the results of this research, the application of the new procedure allowed us to identify 50% more surface area that could be classified as NVZ. Alluvial areas showed the highest degree of vulnerability (both intrinsic and specific) affecting most of their territory, which suggests the need to propose an integral protection of all alluvial surfaces, not only of the Ebro basin, but also at national and European level.

References Powered by Scopus

Assessment and mapping of groundwater vulnerability to pollution: Current status and challenges

225Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Index-based groundwater vulnerability mapping models using hydrogeological settings: A critical evaluation

144Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Vulnerability of groundwater resources to nitrate pollution: A simple and effective procedure for delimiting Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

75Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Cited by Powered by Scopus

Would delineation of nitrate vulnerable zones be improved by introducing a new parameter representing the risk associated with soil permeability in the Land Use–Intrinsic Vulnerability Procedure?

1Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Groundwater nitrate pollution in the Segura Hydrological District (Spain) and the way it affects the Mar Menor catchment area in particular

0Citations
N/AReaders
Get full text

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Arauzo, M., Valladolid, M., & García, G. (2020). Mapping groundwater vulnerability to nitrate pollution from diffuse sources in the Ebro river basin (N.E. Spain). Estudios Geologicos, 76(2). https://doi.org/10.3989/EGEOL.43868.586

Readers' Seniority

Tooltip

PhD / Post grad / Masters / Doc 1

50%

Researcher 1

50%

Readers' Discipline

Tooltip

Environmental Science 2

40%

Engineering 2

40%

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Bi... 1

20%

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free