Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture 12 (2018) 798-809 doi: 10.17265/1934-7359/2018.11.003

Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability to Pollution Using VLDA and COP Models in Halabja Saidsadiq Iraq

Twana O. Abdullah1, 2, Salahalddin S. Ali3, 4, Nadhir A. Al-Ansari2 and Sven Knutsson2 1. Groundwater Directorate of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, NE 46001, Iraq

2. Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources and Engineering, Division of Mining and Geotechnical Engineering,

Lulea University of Technology, Lulea 971 87, Sweden

3. Department of Geology, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region, NE 46001, Iraq

4. Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan Region, 46001, Iraq

Abstract: Groundwater aquifer in the HSB (Halabja and Saidsadiq Basin) is considered being one of the most important aquifers in terms of water supplying in Kurdistan Region, NE of Iraq. The growing of economics, irrigation and agricultural activities inside the basin makes it of the main essentials to the region. Therefore, pollution of groundwater is of specific worry as groundwater resources are the principal source of water for drinking, agriculture, irrigation and industrial activities. Thus, the best and practical arrangement is to keep the pollution of groundwater through. The current study aims at the evaluation of the vulnerability of groundwater aquifers of the study area. Two models were applied, to be specific VLDA and COP to develop maps of groundwater vulnerability 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 accomplished dependent 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, groundwater age evaluated utilizing tritium isotopes investigation and applied it to validate the vulnerability results. Based on this validation, the outcome exhibits that the vulnerability classes acquired utilizing VLDA model are more predictable contrasted with the COP model. Key words: Vulnerability, VLDA, COP, HSB.

1. Introduction

HSB (Halabja and Saidsadiq Basin) is 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. Exhaustive agricultural activities are extensive and located close to groundwater wells, which pose imminent threats to these resources. Moreover, the authoritative structure of Halabja has been changed from a district to

Corresponding author: Nadhir A. Al-Ansari, professor,

research fields: water resources and environment.

governorate in March 2014; this will improve the start of more economic improvement and progression. In perspective of these progressions, there is an expansion of the quantities of human making a beeline for live in this basin and its surrounding areas. This is forcing a developing interest in water which has set significant weights on water resources. Therefore, groundwater contamination is of particular concern as groundwater resources are the principal source of water for drinking, agriculture, irrigation and industrial activities.

Groundwater vulnerability is evaluating the ability of pollutant to transport from the earth surface to reach a productive aquifer. The vulnerability studies

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References Abdullah et al. [

Ali [3]

assim and Goff

assim and Goff

Buday and Jassim

abja 801

6]

f [7]

f [7]

m [8]

1

Assessment of Groundwater Vulnerability to Pollution Using VLDA and COP Models in Halabja Saidsadiq Basin, Iraq

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2. Methodology

Two different models have been applied with the aid of GIS technique in order to map groundwater vulnerability in the study area. The first applied model is VLDA, predominantly it reflects lithology of vadose zone (V), pattern of land use (L), groundwater depth (D), and aquifer characteristics (A) [9]. In addition, reliable weight can be assigned to