Comparison of the DRASTIC + L and modified VABHAT models in vulnerability assessment of Karaj aquifer, central Iran, using MCDM, SWARA, and BWM methods

Abstract

One of the most important and perilous groundwater contaminants is nitrate, which is considered a potential environmental risk in Iran and an international issue globally. The study area is the Karaj uncon ned aquifer, Central Iran, subjected to quantity and quality hazards due to unbalanced urban, industrial, and agricultural developments. Evaluation of the vulnerability condition of this aquifer against nitrate as the Contamination index is essential since the most amount of consumption water in the area is provided from groundwater. The study aims to detect vulnerable zones of the Karaj aquifer using DRASTIC + L and Modi ed VEBHAT vulnerability models. The weighting of the parameters has been performed employing the recent Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods, including Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) and Best Worst Method (BWM). The results demonstrated that the most vulnerability had occurred from the east to the south of the aquifer (high to super-critical), including urban and residential areas, regarding both the vulnerability models' plots. The plots of the two methods are similar and did not exhibit considerable differences. The Modi ed VEBHAT has more certainty than the DRASTIC + L and has optimized and improved the DRASTIC + L model because the most vulnerable zone in the output plots of the Modi ed VEBHAT model is in the east of the aquifer, which has good agreement with the nitrate contaminant mass with the highest concentration.

Groundwater vulnerability assessment using a GIS-based DRASTIC method in the Erbil Dumpsite area (Kani Qirzhala), Central Erbil Basin, North Iraq

“…To address these concerns, researchers have modified the method to enhance its efficiency and accuracy for specific aquifers (Fannakh and Farsang, 2022;Kirlas et al 2023). Modifications include optimizing ratings and weights using methods such as Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Fuzzy AHP, Analytic Network Process (ANP), multiple linear regression and sensitivity analysis and Shannon entropy (Sener and Davraz, 2012;Garewal et al 2017;Jhariya et al 2019;Alamne et al 2022;Kirlas et al 2022b;Shakeri et al 2023;Torkashvand et al 2023). Additionally, researchers have proposed the incorporation of extra factors like land use, irrigation type and water quality index (Brindha and Elango, 2015;Sarkar and Pal, 2021;Abera et al 2022;Mkumbo et al 2022;Rauf et al 2022;Kirlas et al 2023;Taghavi et al 2023).…”

Assessing Groundwater Vulnerability and Addressing Salinization in the Coastal Region of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, Vietnam: An Enhanced DRASTIC Model Approach

“…For example, Singh et al 2015(Singh et al, 2015 have advocated a modified DRASTIC model (DRASTICA) for assessing groundwater vulnerability to pollution in an urbanized environment in Lucknow, India. Several researchers also argued the addition of land use into the evaluation model because this factor is strongly related to groundwater vulnerability (Yang et al, 2010;Patrikai et al, 2012;Kazakis et al, 2015;Mfumu Kihumba et al, 2017;Heiß et al, 2020;Chakraborty et al, 2021;Shakeri et al, 2023). Accordingly, land use factors were added to modify the model and improve the model's accuracy.…”