Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
12:44
Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
Published on: July 24, 2016
Enhancing groundwater vulnerability assessment framework under anthropogenic stressors
Tarekegn Dejen Mengistu1,2,3, Il-Moon Chung4,5, Sun Woo Chang1,2
1Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Science & Technology, Daejeon, 34113, Korea.
Scientific Reports
|May 11, 2026
Summary
This study enhances aquifer vulnerability assessment by integrating dynamic surface-groundwater interactions and land use data. The improved framework provides a more accurate understanding of groundwater contamination risks for better management.
Area of Science:
- Hydrogeology
- Environmental Science
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Conventional aquifer vulnerability assessment (AVA) methods often use static parameters, failing to capture dynamic surface-groundwater interactions (SGWI) and land use changes.
- Regions with high anthropogenic stress require advanced AVA for effective groundwater protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an enhanced AVA framework integrating physically based SGWI simulations with modified DRASTIC indices.
- To improve the accuracy of vulnerability assessment by incorporating dynamic hydrological parameters and empirical water quality data.
Main Methods:
- Coupled SWAT-MODFLOW model for physically based SGWI simulations.
- Modified DRASTIC indices (DRASTIC, DRASTICL, DRASTICLW) normalized by a spatially resolved Water Quality Index (WQI).
- Refinement of hydrogeological parameters using calibrated SWAT-MODFLOW outputs.
Main Results:
- Moderate- to high-vulnerability zones were identified, particularly in cultivated lands and areas with shallow aquifers.
- Very high vulnerability zones were found to overlap with critical water resources and industrial areas, necessitating targeted interventions.
- The integrated framework demonstrated improved discrimination performance compared to traditional DRASTIC methods, especially when including land use and water quality variables.
Conclusions:
- The enhanced AVA framework offers a physically consistent and empirically constrained approach for regional groundwater vulnerability assessment.
- Integrating dynamic hydrological modeling with water quality data provides a transferable decision-support tool for adaptive groundwater management.
- This approach supports Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) by improving groundwater protection in environmentally sensitive regions.
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