Comparative study of the vulnerability to groundwater pollution by the DRASTIC and SINTACS methods on the Amizour plain (Béjaia, North Algeria).

The present study deals with the vulnerability and the risks of pollution on the Amizour plain aquifer (north Algeria), already threatened by several sources of pollution (e.g., industries, agriculture, illegal dumping, etc.) that collapsed this region, without any planned environmental protection measures. In the aim to study the sensitivity of the Amizour plain against pollution two methods (DRASTIC and SINTACS models) were used and the results were compared and evaluated. The maps showed a similarity in the degrees of vulnerability ranged from high to medium. Most of the plain is affected by a high degree of vulnerability of 76% and 67% as estimated by DRASTIC and SINTACS, respectively. In fact, such remarkable degree is justified by the shallow position of the groundwater and the type of aquifer. The degree of groundwater vulnerability was 18% and 33% in the northern and southern part of the studied zone as estimated by DRASTIC and SINTACS methods, respectively. According to the DRASTIC approach, an area with a very high vulnerability (6%) was observed amidst the Amizour plain. Superimposing both maps of vulnerability and the pollution source sites allowed us through the risk map to frame the areas at high risk of groundwater contamination. This investigation will facilitate to make decisions in implementing of an accurate and urgent management project for safeguarding the studied zone. The applicability of these findings has been discussed and suggestions for attenuating the risk of contamination have been given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]