Groundwater Potentiality Assessment of Ain Sefra Region in Upper Wadi Namous Basin, Algeria Using Integrated Geospatial Approaches

Abstract

Water demand has been increasing considerably around the world, mostly since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has caused many problems for water supply, especially in arid areas. Consequently, there is a need to assimilate lessons learned to ensure water security. In arid climates, evaluating the groundwater potential is critical, particularly because the only source of drinking water and irrigation for the community is groundwater. The objective of this report is to locate and identify probable groundwater basins in the upper Wadi Namous basin’s Ain Sefra area. GIS and RS were used to evaluate the parameters of morphometry and to demarcate groundwater potential zones by using eight different influencing factors, viz., geology, rainfall, height, slope, land cover, land use, and lineaments density are all factors to consider. The analytical hierarchical process (AHP) was used to give weightages to the factors, and definitions within each attribute were sorted in order of priority for groundwater potentiality. The major findings of the research were the creation of groundwater-potential zones in the watershed. The hydrogeological zone of the basin was assessed as follows: very poor (0.56%), poor (26.41%), moderate (44.72%), good (25.22%), and very good (3.1%). The groundwater recharge potential zones are concentrated in low cretaceous locations, according to analytical data. The groundwater potential regions were checked to field inventory data from 45 water locations to corroborate the findings. The qualitative findings and the groundwater inventory data agreed 77.78%, according to the cross-validation study. The produced groundwater potential map might substantially assist in the development of long-term management plans by enabling water planners and decision-makers to identify zones appropriate for the placement of productive wells and reducing investment losses caused by well drilling failures. The results of the study will also serve as a benchmark for further research and studies, such as hydrogeological modeling.

Examining the Role of Clean Drinking Water Plants in Mitigating Drinking Water-Induced Morbidity

“…Thus, findings revealed that demographic and socioeconomic attributes such as age, education, income, past experiences, and social networks played an important role in perceiving vulnerability. Moreover, the health vulnerability of households is affected by their access to information, health facilities, and the availability of safe water [35][36][37]. Studies in Bangladesh revealed that households bear the cost of having access to safe water sources due to poor water quality and insufficient and unreliable water supply.…”

“…Additionally, studies in Uganda and India revealed that demographic factors such as mother's education, income level of households, age of children, gender, and awareness of water quality and waterborne diseases influence the reduction of acute watery diarrhea and other waterborne illnesses. However, the government's role is essential in providing clean water to the public [37,39,40].…”

Assessing the Quality of Treated Wastewater for Irrigation: A Case Study of Ain Sefra Wastewater Treatment Plant

“…The annual renewable water supply per person in the country is 2 of 20 estimated to be around 1000 m 3 , which is lower than the recognized water scarcity benchmark of 1700 m 3 per individual per year [8]. This limited availability of freshwater sources in Algeria can be attributed to its arid and semiarid climate, characterized by irregular rainfall patterns and high evapotranspiration rates [9]. A major challenge faced by Algeria is the irregularity of rainfall, with some regions experiencing prolonged droughts while others have more regular precipitation [10].…”

Mapping Groundwater Potential Zones with GIS-RS-AHP Under Climate Change: Case of Mostaganem Plateau, Northwest Algeria

“…Spinoni et al (2014) highlight that climate change contributes to a widespread reduction in groundwater reserves, exacerbated by the severity of droughts across the Mediterranean basin. Over the last thirty years, Algeria's water demand has surged, fuelled by human development (Derdour et al, 2022). Consequently, changes occurred in land use and cover (LULC) distribution, notably the expansion of artificial and agricultural zones, which diminish infiltration rates and lead to over-extraction (Basset et al, 2023;Touitou and Abul Quasem, 2018).…”