Year 2026, Volume 72 Issue 2
| Year : | 2026 |
| Volume : | 72 |
| Issue : | 2 |
| Authors : | Faiza BOUZAHAR; Boualem BOUSELSAL; Aya KAOUDJA |
| Title : | GROUNDWATER VULNERABILITY AND POLLUTION ASSESSMENT IN AN ARID SAHARAN AQUIFER USING DRASTIC, PIG AND EXPLORATORY SOM ANALYSIS: CASE OF TAIBET (ALGERIAN SAHARA) |
| Abstract : | Groundwater represents the primary water resource in the Taibet region, yet its quality is increasingly threatened by expanding anthropogenic activities. This study aims to assess the intrinsic vulnerability and pollution status of the shallow aquifer using the DRASTIC model and the Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG). The DRASTIC vulnerability map indicates two dominant classes—moderate and high—with the high-vulnerability zone occupying 52.72% of the area. Application of the PIG model to 20 groundwater samples reveals severe degradation, as 95% of samples exhibit PIG values exceeding 2.5, reflecting very high contamination levels. Nitrate concentrations ranging from 21 to 47 mg/L confirm the predominance of anthropogenic pollution, mainly arising from the infiltration of fertilizer-enriched irrigation water and untreated domestic wastewater. A Self-Organizing Map (SOM) analysis was applied to explore the overall consistency between intrinsic groundwater vulnerability and observed contamination patterns based on nitrate concentrations and PIG values. The SOM classification indicates a general consistency between DRASTIC vulnerability patterns and observed contamination indicators, highlighting the relevance of the approach for assessing groundwater vulnerability under arid climatic conditions. Taken together, the results emphasize the urgent need to strengthen groundwater protection measures and to implement integrated and sustainable water management strategies aimed at safeguarding this essential resource over the long term. |
| For citation : | Bouzahar, F., Bouselsal, B., Kaoudja, A. (2026). Groundwater vulnerability and pollution assessment in an arid Saharan aquifer using drastic, pig and exploratory som analysis: Case of Taibet (Algerian Sahara). Agriculture and Forestry, 72 (2): 177-199. https://doi:10.17707/AgricultForest.72.2.12 |
| Keywords : | Taibet, DRASTIC, PIG, contamination, self-organizing map |
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