Groundwater vulnerability to pollution assessment using two different models in Halabja Saidsadiq Basin, Iraq

الملخص EN

Halabja and Saidsadiq Basin (HSB) considered to be one of the most important basins in Kurdistan Region, NE of Iraq, in terms of groundwater aquifers.

the concentration of economic, agricultural and social activities within the basin makes it of prime significance to the region.

therefore, groundwater contamination is of particular concern as groundwater resources are the principal source of water for drinking, agriculture, irrigation and industrial activities.

consequently, the most effective and realistic solution is to prevent the contamination of groundwater through.

the current study aims the evaluation of the vulnerability of groundwater aquifers of the study area.

two models were applied, namely VLDA and COP to construct groundwater vulnerability maps for contamination.

The VLDA model classified the area into four classes of vulnerability with each covered area: low (2%), moderate (44%), high (53%) and very high (1%).While four vulnerability classes were achieved based on COP model including very low, low, moderate and high vulnerability classes with coverage areas of (1%, 37%, 2% and 60%) respectively.

to confirm the suitability of each map for assessment of groundwater vulnerability in the area, it required to be validated of the theoretical sympathetic of current hydrogeological conditions.

in this study, nitrate concentration analysis was used as a contamination indicator to validate the result.

Significant variations in nitrate concentration on dry to wet seasons had been observed.

accordingly, it can be stating that contaminant can be able to reach to groundwater aquifers in the HSB.

regarding to this validation, the result demonstrates that the vulnerability classes obtained using VLDA model are more consistent.