INTRINSIC VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS TO NITRATE CONTAMINATION: IMPLICATIONS FROM RECHARGE IN FATE ...

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    INTRINSIC VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS TO NITRATECONTAMINATION: IMPLICATIONS FROM RECHARGE IN FATE

    AND TRANSPORT IN SHALLOW GROUNDWATER(CASE OF MOULARES-REDAYEF MINING BASIN)

    Nadia Khelif1, Imed Ben Slimne 2 and M.Moncef Chalbaoui31(Assitant Professor, Faculty of Science of Gafsa, 2100 Sidi Ahmed Zarroug, Gafsa, Tunisia)

    2(Ph.D, Faculty of Science of Gafsa, 2100 Sidi Ahmed Zarroug, Gafsa, Tunisia)

    3(Hydrogeologist Professor, Institute of Arts and Trades, 9100 Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia)

    ABSTRACT

    In many rapidly urbanizing cities, groundwaters are constantly affected by

    anthropogenic factors such as landscaping, additional abstractions, reduction in catchment

    perviousness, etc. Population growth has been uninterrupted and accelerating phenomena in

    parts of Moulares-Redayef basin, where urbanization is increasing at an unprecedented rate.

    Urban agglomeration is causing radical changes in groundwater recharge and modifying the

    existing mechanisms. The Moulares city and majority of the phosphate laundries are sited on

    unconfined or semi confined aquifers depend upon wadis water for most of their water supply

    and disposal of most of their liquid effluents and solid residues. There has also been an

    inevitable rise in waste production. Drainage of surface water has been disrupted as the small

    natural channels and low lying areas have been in filled, often with municipal waste.

    In agricultural areas, fertilizer application is the main source of nitrate contamination of

    groundwater. To develop fertilizer management strategies to combat this problem, arable land

    in studied area, the mining basin was evaluated using geographic information system

    techniques for intrinsic groundwater vulnerability to nitrate contamination. The DRASTIC

    method was modified to adapt it to the Moulares-Redayef environment and used for theevaluation. The rating for the net recharge factor was also modified to a dilution factor for

    contaminants, rather than as a transporter.

    However, in the pastures, vulnerability did not exhibit a clear relationship with the frequency

    of wells exceeding the standard. This suggests that the modified DRASTIC method is

    applicable for fertilizer application management in fields and in the shores of the wadis. In

    addition, this method will be useful for deciding the arrangement of arable land taking into

    consideration the potential risk of fertilizer-induced nitrate contamination of groundwater.

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING ANDTECHNOLOGY (IJCIET)

    ISSN 0976 6308 (Print)

    ISSN 0976 6316(Online)Volume 3, Issue 2, July- December (2012), pp. 465-476

    IAEME: www.iaeme.com/ijciet.aspJournal Impact Factor (2012): 3.1861 (Calculated by GISI)www.jifactor.com

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    Keywords: DRASTIC, Fertilizer application, Groundwater management, GIS Hydrogeology,Nitrate contamination.

    I. INTRODUCTION

    Groundwater constitutes an important source of water for domestic, industrial,

    agricultural and other purposes. The ever-increasing demand for water due to increasing

    demographic pressure has mounted enormous pressure on its judicious utilization. Nitrate

    (NO3-

    ) stand for the most well groundwater contaminants globally [1], in the Moulares-

    Redayef aquifers and increase-known NO3-

    concentrations in groundwater in many regions

    have been noted. Elevated concentrations of NO3-

    and increasing concentrations through time

    are generally attributed to anthropogenic sources including agricultural fertilizers, septic and

    other wastewater sources, livestock facilities, and atmospheric deposition [2][3]. Hence,

    several recent studies have noted concentrations above the drinking-water standards outlined

    by the US Environmental Protection Agency (10 mg/l as N) [4] in countries like India, China,

    Denmark, and the USA [5][6][7][8][9].

    The Moulares-Redayef aquifers are quite modest in terms of yield and storage but they have a

    proven capability to sustain industrial, domestic and agricultural water supply as well as

    provide water for crops that sustain the economy. The exponential increase in the use of this

    water resource, has led to widespread aquifer over-exploitation and groundwater quality

    deterioration. Therefore there is a need for in-depth understanding of flow and transport

    processes in these complex aquifer systems (e.g., quantitative evaluation of the resource,

    preservation of the quality, vulnerability assessment).

    Despite the likely persistence of elevated nitrate levels in these systems, questions remain

    about the impact of irrigation and fertilizer use on groundwater resources.

    These aquifers are heavily utilized for mining industries and crop irrigation, large

    withdrawals from wells and recharge from irrigation applications can substantially increase

    groundwater velocities and vertical flow components [10][11], potentially affecting nitratetransport and degradation rates. However, the factors controlling the distribution of NO3-

    degradation in heterogeneous regional-alluvial-aquifer systems with large pumping

    withdrawals are not well understood.

    30 sampled wells screened in the Moulares-Redayef aquifer. Nitrate was detected in water

    from the majority of wells, with a maximum detection of 103,76 mg/l. Nitrate was more

    frequently detected and at higher median concentrations in the alluvium.

    Considering the depleting water resources and consequently the mounting problems,

    sustainable water resources development plans are needed ([12]Nageswara Rao and Narendra

    2006). The policies that control groundwater exploitation are of crucial importance in water

    resources management. Towards this, mapping and monitoring of existing groundwater

    resources and forecasting the future resource-use scenarios are important.

    The integration of information on several environmental features results in zones ofpromising groundwater potential in a systematic way and forms an important aspect of

    groundwater-management studies. These data, in conjunction with ground truth information,

    provide details on geology, geomorphology, structural pattern and recharge conditions, which

    ultimately define the groundwater regime. Excessive infiltration of irrigation water can

    introduce agricultural contaminants (e.g. nitrate) to shallow groundwater, increase recharge

    rates, and significantly alter groundwater residence times [3].

    The groundwater prospect/potential maps can show the range in groundwater yield at

    different depths, besides indicating probable sites for recharging aquifers. Geographical

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    information systems (GIS) provide a means of introducing information and knowledge from

    other data sources into the decision-making process and help in handling and management of

    large and complex data bases.

    GIS facilitates better data analysis and interpretation. [13]Jha and Peiffer (2006) and [14]Jha

    et al. (2007) reported pertinent studies on the application of these techniques in theexploration and assessment of groundwater resources, selection of sites for artificial recharge,

    subsurface flow modeling, and assessment of pollution, natural recharge distribution and data

    analysis.

    The present paper describes the concepts, importance and applicability of GIS technologies in

    groundwater studies, and critically reviews the works related to groundwater potential

    assessment, to evaluate hydrogeologic factors as explanatory variables for the distribution of

    changes in NO3-

    concentrations over time in a complex regional aquifer system andto assess

    the role of recharge dynamics on groundwater flow in a human-impacted sub watershed

    based on detailed spatio-temporal field observations.

    II. GEOLOGY,SOILANDHYDROLOGYOFSTUDYAREA

    The Moulares-Redayef aquifers system occupies much the mining basin, one of the

    most economic basins in Tunisia and constitutes largest sedimentary depressions which are

    drained by a gathering of wadis system. The surficial geology is characterized by the Plio-

    Quaternary sedimentary (alluvial fan deposits) deposits that are surrounded along basin

    margins by Miocene bedrocks sands to the northeast and southeast highlighting the

    mountains (fig. 1).

    This unit does exist where very fine to fine sands generally occur at the surface. However,

    shallow aquifers occur at relatively deeper (>15 m below ground level) depths in the central

    and southern depression, where the unit is thick.

    The composition of soil in different surface geological units of Moulares-Redayef varies as a

    function of proportions of sand, loam (silt), and clay.Average soil composition for individual soil classes was examined and later aggregated over

    a total zone setting. Soil composition in major wadis, and Tertiary deposits in eastern and

    terrains are predominantly sandy. In contrast, soil compositions in Plioquaternary terraces are

    mainly clayey. Surface geology and soil composition which generally characterize shallow

    aquifers in Moulares-Redayef basin largely control the timing and pathways of groundwater

    recharge to aquifers.

    Groundwater flow through high permeability interflow zones within the goundwaters occurs

    dominantly between successive flow units (i.e. parallel to stratiform), while localized flow

    may occur along vertically oriented fractures and through faults in the center basin

    (connection of wadis). Horizontal hydraulic conductivities for the plioquaternary aquifers are

    on the order of 2.10-6

    103

    m/s with a median value of about 106

    m/s, while for the

    Miocene Aquifer, are on the order of 2.104

    m/s. Effective porosities for the mining basinrange from than 1% to greater than 3%.

    Lateral regional groundwater flow in the aquifers is generally from topographically higher

    areas of the Moulares-Redayef Basin headed for the ensemble wadis. Locally, this

    generalized flow pattern is complicated by recharge from irrigation water applied to the land

    surface, canal leakage, and by discharge of pumping wells. Amongst 1.03 and 5.26 Mm3/year

    of industrial and irrigation water is supplied to the studied Basin from drainage ditches

    supplied by the Miocene aquifer. The average annual surface-water application rate to the

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    study area is 1.22 m/year, and the average application rate of nitrogen fertilizers in the study

    area is approximately 15,700 kg N/km2/year.

    Fig. 1 Study area and Major surficial geological units

    III. SAMPLINGANDANALYSIS

    To understand the chemical characteristics of groundwater and the fate and transport

    of fertilizer, groundwater samples were collected from 30 wells in Moulares-Redayef Basin.

    The collection of groundwater samples was carried out from December 2005. It must be

    pointed out that due to the lack of hydrogeological infrastructure at the site, including

    piezometers, no point measurements of groundwater quality could be taken. Nearly all the

    groundwater sampling wells at the study site are open boreholes. The groundwater sampling

    depths range from 4.5 to 60.0 m below ground surface. Be aware that although such a sample

    is taken from a point, it may better represent quality of mixed groundwater over a vertical

    distance between the water table and the bottom of the wellbore provided that water inside

    the open borehole is well mixed.

    Water samples were analyzed using ion chromatography to measure nitrate (NO3

    ), chloride(Cl

    ) and sulfate (SO4

    2) concentrations. Concentrations of sodium (Na

    +), calcium (Ca

    2+) and

    magnesium (Mg2+

    ) were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission

    spectrometry. Bicarbonate (HCO3

    ) was determined by titration with hydrochloric acid (HCl).

    1. Groundwater recharges estimatesAgricultural irrigation water is defined here as groundwater impacted by agricultural

    activities in irrigated regions. Excessive infiltration of irrigation water can introduceagricultural contaminants (e.g. nitrate) to shallow groundwater, increase recharge rates, and

    significantly alter groundwater residence times [3]. The rating of net recharge factor in the

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    DRASTIC method Eq (1) was modified to adapt it to the Moulares-Redayef environment and

    used for the evaluation of fertilizer application in agriculture, rather than as a transporter.

    However, in the pastures, vulnerability did not exhibit a clear relationship with the frequency

    of wells exceeding the standard (fig. 2).

    DI=DrDw+RrRw+ArAw+SrSw+TrTw+IrIw+CrCw (1)

    where D: depth to groundwater, R: recharge rate (net), A: aquifer media, S: soil media, T:

    topography (slope), I: impact of the vadose zone, C: conductivity (hydraulic) of the aquifer r:

    rating for the area being evaluated and w: importance weight for the parameter.

    Fig. 2The percentage of area that corresponds to the different vulnerability categories

    2. Modified Net recharge Factor2.1.Description of WetSpass model (Water and Energy Transfer between Soil, Plants, andAtmosphere in quasi Steady State)

    Wetspass is a model developed and integrated by ArcView [15] allows the calculation of

    hydrological components such as: potential runoff, interception, infiltration, transpiration,

    evaporation from the ground surface and the natural recharge.

    This model is based on climate data are the physical parameters of ground such as soil type,

    slope, topography, land use, the hydraulic head of groundwater, rainfall, wind speed,

    temperature and evapotranspiration potential. The bases of these calculations are [16]:

    Evapotranspiration: ET = av ETv +as ETs+ a0 ET0 + ai ETi (2)

    Water Space: S = a v Sv+ a s S s+ a i S i+ a0 S 0 (3)

    Percolation: R = a v R v+ a s R s +a0 R0 + a i R i (4)The coefficients av, as, a0 and ai are respectively the fractions: plant, soil, water and

    impervious areas of a cell raster, and ETv, ETs,ET0, ETi, Sv, S s, S I,, S 0 , R v, R s , R0 and R I

    are respectively evapotranspiration, runoff, bare soil, water surface and impervious areas.

    Precipitations are taken as a starting point for developing the balance of different component

    identified as a raster cell. The water balance of different components is treated as follows:

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    - The Vegetation area: the water balance depend on the seasonal precipitation (P),Intercepted fraction (I), Blade runoff (Sv), transpiration (Tv) and groundwater recharge (Rv)

    and can be calculated using Eq (5) ([17]Batlaan et al;2004):

    P =I +S v+ T v+ R v (5)

    - The Blade runoff: It is calculated based on the amount rainfall intensity. Theinterception is considered as the soil infiltration. This term is calculated as follows (Batlaan et

    al; 2004):

    S v pot = C sv P I (6)Where; C sv is the runoff coefficient from an area.

    The potential runoff is updated with different precipitations intensities and according the soil

    infiltration capacity [17]:

    S = C Hor Sv v - pot (7)

    Where; C Hor is a coefficient from description of the seasonal rainfall contributing to runoff.

    - Evapotranspiration: Wetspass deduce the transpiration value from the value ofevapotranspiration potential estimated by Penman formula Eq (8):

    T rv = cE0 (8)

    Where; T rv is the transpiration from a vegetation area;

    E0 is the evaporation potential from a water surface, given by Penman equation;

    c is the vegetation coefficient that can be defined as a quotient of the transpiration,

    given by Penman-Monteith Eq (9):

    c= 1+

    1+

    1+ rcra

    (9)

    Where; is the constant of proportionality, is the first derivative of the vapor pressure inthe saturated zone;

    is the psychometric constant;rc is the resistance;

    ra is the aerodynamic resistance.

    2.2.The Recharge estimate

    The methodology of the calculation results of the estimation of the spatial distribution ofrecharge is taken in the model based on the seasonal variation in the first place; it is possible

    to have different levels of depth.

    Under natural or pre-developed groundwater-fed irrigation condition, net groundwater

    recharge to aquifers can be estimated using Eq (10):

    R = Sgw + Qbf+ ETgw + (Qgwout - Qgw

    in) (10)

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    Where R is net annual recharge, Sgw is change in groundwater storage, Qbf is base flow towadis, ET

    gwis evapotranspiration from groundwater, and Q

    gwout - Q

    gwin is the net

    groundwater flow from the study area. Sgw, estimated using the WTF method over longtime intervals (seasonal or annual), is sometimes referred to as net recharge [18]. In

    Moulres-Redayef basin, Qbf is inhibited during the period when wadis stages are higher thanthe water table and the shallow aquifer adjacent to major wadis experiences induced recharge

    through bank infiltration. Base flow is restricted to the early part of the dry season (i.e.,

    descending limb of the groundwater hydrograph) which does not affect annual water-table

    rises. During the monsoon (ascending limb of groundwater hydrograph) soil moisture

    sustaining ET is predominantly supplied by rainfall and flood water, and ETgw

    via capillary

    flow is inhibited by direct and indirect recharge fluxes to aquifers. The magnitude of ETgw

    via

    capillary flow during the dry season is unclear. Net groundwater flow (Qgw

    out- Qgw

    in ) is

    assumed to be negligible throughout the study area due to the absence of substantial hydraulic

    gradients in the water table of the shallow aquifer [19] [20].

    IV. RESULTSANDDISCUSSIONS

    1. Results samplingGroundwater samples collected showed a minimum difference between the water table and

    irrigation wells. Median values of Cl, Ca, Mg, SO4

    2, pH, K, Si, Fe, and NO

    3-are higher in

    the water-table well. Water quality in the water-table well may reflect the influence of

    agricultural land use on shallow groundwater at this site because Cl, Ca, Mg, SO4

    2and

    nitrate are commonly applied to the land surface in fertilizer [21] and other soil amendments.

    The presence of these applied inorganic constituents at high concentrations near the water

    table suggests that there is downward infiltration through the unsaturated zone into the Mio-

    plio-quaternary aquifer.

    Estimates of groundwater recharge are shown in Figs.3, 4 and 5, for two time periods:

    monthly and annual recharge. The results show that actual (net) recharge is higher in

    northwestern and western parts of Moulares-Redayef Basin than in eastern parts (Fig. 5). Themonthly average of the groundwater recharge of Moulares-Redayef (Fig. 3), for a period of

    eight years, is from to 0.02 to 0.94 million m3

    with a maximum of 0.94 in January and a

    minimum of 0.02 in July. Greater increases in the net recharge are observed in northwestern.

    Fig. 3 Monthly average estimated recharge [22].

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    Fig. 4 Annual change of recharges [22].

    regions and along the Tabadit wadi; changes in recharge are limited in many area of the

    basin. Recent mean annual recharge (19972005) is greater than the long-term (2002 to 2005)

    mean recharge in some parts of the northwestern Basin.

    Fig. 5 Spatial variation map of annual recharge in (2004/2005) with WetSpass [22].

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    The estimates of recharge for the period of high waters, revealed a spatial variation of

    recharge from West to East (5-3 mm), mainly due to rainfall gradient. The endorheic

    depression of Garaaet Ed Douza and bare soils shows low value of recharge, which tend to

    zero. In urban areas, it was estimated that the blade refill is 2 to 3 mm, except for the northern

    part of the city of Moulars where it is 3 to 4 mm due to the change in soil texture (Fig. 5).The recharge volume estimated for the year 2004 2005, is 2.1 million m

    3whether 7.45% of

    annual rainfall, 64.8% of this volume is added during the period of high water, and 35.2%

    during the period of low water. The total volume of recharge is 568.25 m3/ha/year (Fig. 4).

    2. Relation and interactions between groundwater chemistry and rechargepathways of agricultural irrigation and industrial water

    It is shown that the greatest increases in groundwater recharge have occurred where the

    density of groundwater-fed irrigation and industrial is highest. Anomalous reductions (0.5 to

    1 mm/year between 1985 and 2007) in groundwater recharge have taken place in areas of

    low groundwater abstraction for irrigation. To assess groundwater chemistry spatial and

    temporal variability, a set of measurements of electrical conductivity (EC) of pumping wells

    have been collected.

    Data show an extreme spatial variability in groundwater chemistry as illustrated by the

    average EC map (Fig. 6). An extent zone of higher mineralization can be identified, in the

    central part of the study area. Samples were classified in groups based on their position up

    gradient or down gradient of the wadis confluence. Higher concentrations in the down

    gradient sector of the aquifer cannot be attributed to progressive mineralization along flow

    paths because the most down gradient wells are less mineralized. Attribution is given to

    sources of higher mineralization likely impact of city sewage, water irrigation and industrial

    water. The chemical specificities of ions seem significantly influenced by the recharge as

    shown by concentrations observed in November and January, indicating water exchange

    between the different zones of the aquifer. The observed correlations between conservative

    ions are indicative of mixing of lower and higher concentration zones within each group.Groundwater chemistry temporal variations as indicated by EC measurements can be

    subdivided into two periods: the dry season (AprilAugust) where either stable

    concentrations, or the rainfall season (DecemberMarch) a progressive increase in

    concentrations occur. In most cases dilution occurs due to less mineralized recharge water

    (and more especially near the tank), in some cases higher concentrations occurs in the SW

    and Central zone with observations in many wells.

    Changes in NO3

    concentrations over time are primarily related to land use, stratigraphy, and

    depth in the aquifer system. Most of the wells having increasing NO3

    concentrations are

    located on down gradient side of Moulares-Reayef basin in or adjacent to urban land-use

    areas. Historical land use maps indicate these areas have been in urban land use for decades,

    whereas agricultural land use predominates in the surrounding areas. Reconstructions of

    nitrogen fertilizer applications and nitrate concentrations in recharge for the study areaindicate fold increases during 19802010. Shallow groundwater beneath urban areas and

    agricultural areas in Moulares has higher NO3

    concentrations (> 50 mg/l). These wells may

    be more strongly influenced by southwestward flowing groundwater with higher NO3

    impacted by agricultural land-use areas to the western of the basin. The presence of

    thousands, boreholes backfilled with rock, which trail occasionally storm runoff into

    groundwater [23], may also contribute to higher groundwater contaminantsconcentrations in

    the Moulares urban area by increasing the amount of recharge from precipitation, in spite of

    diluting concentrations from up gradient land use.

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    Fig. 6 Ions distributions (Na+, NO3-, SO42-

    et Cl-) and CE in the Moulares-Redayef basin [24].

    V. CONCLUSION

    The ions and pollutants concentrations generate wasted water, in the study area. The

    substances released by humans include industrial wastes, domestic sewage, rubbish, organicand inorganic fertilizers, and pesticides, which include a range of substances that are harmful

    to humans. These pollutants transported to surface water in various ways, leading to

    deterioration of water quality. The organic pollutants, including COD, BOD, NH3 and NO3

    followed sharply increasing trends from subsurface to groundwater. NO3-

    concentration in

    groundwaters of Moulares-Redayef is higher than limit value admissible in some periods.

    The range of nitrate concentration is found to vary between 20 and 80 mg/l for 20092010.

    The detailed field study exploited by a high density of pumping wells (>40) reveals very high

    spatial variability in terms of hydraulic parameters (transfer, transmissivity) and groundwater

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    chemistry. This variability can be explained by geological factors and the impact of human

    activities. Water irrigation and industrial sewage prompt that most monitoring wells show a

    quite rapid hydraulic head increase is combined with an increase in EC in many of them. The

    increase in EC may be explained by two different processes or a combination of both: (1)

    dissolution by recharge water of salts that were deposited in the topsoil during the dry seasonleading to highly mineralized recharge water; (2) an upper limit effect such as two

    compartments of the aquifer, the up gradient one being more mineralized, which are

    disconnected below a given limit corresponding to the elevation of the deepest connecting

    fracture and get connected as the water table rises above this limit during recharge.

    Concluding from the analysis results above, most of the regions have a higher constraint of

    water environment and are unfit for industry. Water environment pressure along the Tabadit

    Wadi is comparatively higher and its water capacity is nearly saturated.

    This paper highlights the constraint effects of recharge factor on water environment layout by

    integrated evaluation of both sensitivity and pressure of water environment, which is of some

    guiding significance in harmonizing the relationship between the industrial and agricultural

    development and the water environment bearing capacity. Our results also show that the

    evaluation outcome is basically accordant with the actual situation in the study area. Yet, we

    should vigorously promote the adjustment of pollution in order to stimulate a sustainable

    growth pattern with rapid augmentation, high efficiency, low pollution discharge and low

    energy consumption. As for the zoning method, the existing evaluation system still needs to

    be improved due to the data access limit. In particular, indices like recharge, wells built-up

    and storm rainfall in the evaluation of water environment pressure and bio-diversity in the

    evaluation of its sensitivity can be considered in the future study.

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