Delineating Groundwater Vulnerability and Protection Zone Mapping in Fractured Rock Masses: Focus on the DISCO Index

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016

Authors

Meerkhan, Helen (Author) Other; Teixeira, José (Author) FLUP; Marques, Jorge M. Espinha (Author) FCUP; Afonso, Maria José (Author) Other; Chaminé, Helder I. (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Water

Vol. 8 No. 10

ISSN: 0310-0367

Publisher: Australian Water Association

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 9 Citations

Scopus - 9 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Social sciences > Geography

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00M-6NZ

DOI: 10.3390/w8100462

Abstract (EN): Hard-rock catchments are considered to be source of valuable water resources for water supply to inhabitants and ecosystems. The present work aims to develop a groundwater vulnerability approach in the Caldas da Cavaca hydromineral system (Aguiar da Beira, Central Portugal) in order to improve the hydrogeological conceptual site model. Different types of information were overlaid, generating several thematic maps to achieve an integrated framework of key sectors in the study site. Thus, a multi-technical approach was used, encompassing field and laboratory techniques, whereby different types of data were collected from fields such as geology, hydrogeology, applied geomorphology and geophysics and hydrogeomechanics, with the fundamental aim of applying the so-called DISCO index method. All of these techniques were successfully performed and an intrinsic groundwater vulnerability to contamination assessment, based on the multicriteria methodology of GOD-S, DRASTIC-Fm, SINTACS, SI and DISCO indexes, was delineated. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provided the basis on which to organize and integrate the databases and to produce all the thematic maps. This multi-technical approach highlights the importance of groundwater vulnerability to contamination mapping as a tool to support hydrogeological conceptualization, contributing to improving the decision-making process regarding water resources management and sustainability.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific