Albuquerque, T.; Roque, N.; Rodrigues, J.; Antunes, M.; Silva, C. DRASTICAI, a New Index for Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment—A Portuguese Case Study. Geosciences2021, 11, 228.
Albuquerque, T.; Roque, N.; Rodrigues, J.; Antunes, M.; Silva, C. DRASTICAI, a New Index for Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment—A Portuguese Case Study. Geosciences 2021, 11, 228.
Albuquerque, T.; Roque, N.; Rodrigues, J.; Antunes, M.; Silva, C. DRASTICAI, a New Index for Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment—A Portuguese Case Study. Geosciences2021, 11, 228.
Albuquerque, T.; Roque, N.; Rodrigues, J.; Antunes, M.; Silva, C. DRASTICAI, a New Index for Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment—A Portuguese Case Study. Geosciences 2021, 11, 228.
Abstract
Groundwater vulnerability assessment has become a useful tool for groundwater pollution pre-vention. Groundwater vulnerability maps provide useful data to protect groundwater resources. The identification of agricultural patterns is an important issue for optimized land management. The Tagus river watershed is the backbone of this survey. Naturtejo UNESCO Global Geopark, in central inland Portugal, corresponds to a rural territory. Intensive agricultural practices showed a rising tendency in the last decades. The most internationally used method for vulnerability evaluation is the DRASTIC index. In this survey, the DRASTICAI index is introduced. A new at-tribute - Anthropogenic Influence - is here added. Five levels of growing vulnerability, from low to high, can be here acknowledged. Idanha-a-Nova municipality is the most affected by intensive farming activities. A robust assessment of groundwater quality has a key role. Climate change scenarios and water scarcity are important issues in years to come. Therefore, optimized groundwater management is essential to consider in policy-making strategies.
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Atmospheric Science and Meteorology
Copyright:
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