IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v15y2018i6p1177-d150790.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessment of Groundwater Susceptibility to Non-Point Source Contaminants Using Three-Dimensional Transient Indexes

Author

Listed:
  • Yong Zhang

    (Department of Engineering Mechanics, Institute of Soft Matter Mechanics, Hohai University, 1 XiKang Road, Nanjing 210098, Jiangsu, China
    Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA)

  • Gary S. Weissmann

    (Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, MSCO3 2040, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, MN 87131, USA)

  • Graham E. Fogg

    (Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources, One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA)

  • Bingqing Lu

    (Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA)

  • HongGuang Sun

    (Department of Engineering Mechanics, Institute of Soft Matter Mechanics, Hohai University, 1 XiKang Road, Nanjing 210098, Jiangsu, China)

  • Chunmiao Zheng

    (School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong, China)

Abstract

Groundwater susceptibility to non-point source contamination is typically quantified by stable indexes, while groundwater quality evolution (or deterioration globally) can be a long-term process that may last for decades and exhibit strong temporal variations. This study proposes a three-dimensional (3- d ), transient index map built upon physical models to characterize the complete temporal evolution of deep aquifer susceptibility. For illustration purposes, the previous travel time probability density (BTTPD) approach is extended to assess the 3- d deep groundwater susceptibility to non-point source contamination within a sequence stratigraphic framework observed in the Kings River fluvial fan (KRFF) aquifer. The BTTPD, which represents complete age distributions underlying a single groundwater sample in a regional-scale aquifer, is used as a quantitative, transient measure of aquifer susceptibility. The resultant 3- d imaging of susceptibility using the simulated BTTPDs in KRFF reveals the strong influence of regional-scale heterogeneity on susceptibility. The regional-scale incised-valley fill deposits increase the susceptibility of aquifers by enhancing rapid downward solute movement and displaying relatively narrow and young age distributions. In contrast, the regional-scale sequence-boundary paleosols within the open-fan deposits “protect” deep aquifers by slowing downward solute movement and displaying a relatively broad and old age distribution. Further comparison of the simulated susceptibility index maps to known contaminant distributions shows that these maps are generally consistent with the high concentration and quick evolution of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) in groundwater around the incised-valley fill since the 1970s’. This application demonstrates that the BTTPDs can be used as quantitative and transient measures of deep aquifer susceptibility to non-point source contamination.

Suggested Citation

  • Yong Zhang & Gary S. Weissmann & Graham E. Fogg & Bingqing Lu & HongGuang Sun & Chunmiao Zheng, 2018. "Assessment of Groundwater Susceptibility to Non-Point Source Contaminants Using Three-Dimensional Transient Indexes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:6:p:1177-:d:150790
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/6/1177/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/6/1177/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. S.M. Shirazi & H.M. Imran & Shatirah Akib, 2012. "GIS-based DRASTIC method for groundwater vulnerability assessment: a review," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(8), pages 991-1011, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Saheed Adeyinka Oke, 2020. "Regional Aquifer Vulnerability and Pollution Sensitivity Analysis of Drastic Application to Dahomey Basin of Nigeria," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-17, April.
    2. Krishnakumar Subramanian & V. Sreevidya & R. Venkatasubramani & Vivek Sivakumar, 2023. "DRASTIC model developed with lineament density to map groundwater susceptibility: a case study in part of Coimbatore district, Tamilnadu, India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(9), pages 10411-10423, September.
    3. Sina Sadeghfam & Yousef Hassanzadeh & Ata Allah Nadiri & Mahdi Zarghami, 2016. "Localization of Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment Using Catastrophe Theory," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(13), pages 4585-4601, October.
    4. Hao Wu & Hui Qian & Jie Chen & Chenchen Huo, 2017. "Assessment of Agricultural Drought Vulnerability in the Guanzhong Plain, China," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 31(5), pages 1557-1574, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:6:p:1177-:d:150790. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.