Assessment of groundwater vulnerability in the Yinchuan Plain, Northwest China using OREADIC

Abstract

Groundwater vulnerability assessments provide a measure of the sensitivity of groundwater quality to an imposed contaminant load and are globally recognized as an essential element of all aquifer management and protection plans. In this paper, the vulnerability of groundwaters underlying the Yinchuan Plain of Northwest China is determined using OREADIC, a GIS-based assessment tool that incorporates the key characteristics of the universally popular DRASTIC approach to vulnerability assessment but has been modified to consider important additional hydrogeological factors that are specific to the region. The results show that areas of high vulnerability are distributed mainly around Qingtongxia City, Wuzhong City, Lingwu City, and Yongning County and are associated with high rates of aquifer recharge, shallow depths to the water table, and highly permeable aquifer materials. The presence of elevated NO (3) (-) in the high vulnerability areas endorses the OREADIC approach. The vulnerability maps developed in this study have become valuable tools for environmental planning in the region and will be used for predictive management of the groundwater resource.

Evaluation of local groundwater vulnerability based on DRASTIC index method in Lahore, Pakistan

“…Hui introduced an OREADIC model during a study in the Yinchuan Plain of China, which contains characteristics of DRASTIC model (Qian, et al, 2011). The GARidge (genetic algorithm) model was developed and applied to determine the most effective vulnerability (Ahn, et al, 2011).…”

Hydrogeochemical contrasts between low and high arsenic groundwater and its implications for arsenic mobilization in shallow aquifers of the northern Yinchuan Basin, P.R. China

“…The topography declines from the west to the east and from the south to the north. The elevation is approximately between 1100 and 1200 m above mean sea level (ASL) (Qian et al, 2012). Precipitation concentrates from June to September, accounting for 68% of annual precipitation (Qian et al, 2012).…”

“…The elevation is approximately between 1100 and 1200 m above mean sea level (ASL) (Qian et al, 2012). Precipitation concentrates from June to September, accounting for 68% of annual precipitation (Qian et al, 2012). The northward flowing Yellow River is the only perennial river in the basin (Fig.…”

“…The Yinchuan Basin is a Cenozoic NNE striking fault basin of rift valley type, with Quaternary sediments of 2000 m and Tertiary deposits of more than 1700 m in thickness (Han et al, 2013;Qian et al, 2012;Zhang et al, 2010b). From the Helan Mountain to the Yellow River, sedimentary sequences evolve with three distinct geomorphological units, including the piedmont proluvial inclining plain with gravel aquifers, the proluvial-alluvial plain with sandy gravel aquifers, and the alluvial-lacustrine plain with sand aquifers (Han et al, 2013;Zhang et al, 2010b).…”

Groundwater risk assessment based on optimization framework using DRASTIC method

“…DRASTIC model has been extensively used in different regions like Canada, America, South Africa, Middle East, etc., due to convenience of data gathering and accurate result in different areas with complex hydrogeological structure (Kim and Hamm 1999;Nobre et al 2007;Fritch et al 2000;Mclay et al 2001;Qian et al 2012). However, its result may be inaccurate due to high obvious subjectivity (Merchant 1994;Gogu et al 2003;Frind et al 2006;Huan et al 2012).…”