Karst groundwater protection: First application of a Pan-European Approach to vulnerability, hazard and risk mapping in the Sierra de Líbar (Southern Spain)

The European COST action 620 proposed a comprehensive approach to karst groundwater protection, comprising methods of intrinsic and specific vulnerability mapping, validation of vulnerability maps, hazard and risk mapping. This paper presents the first application of all components of this Pan-Europ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2006-03, Vol.357 (1), p.54-73
Main Authors: Andreo, Bartolomé, Goldscheider, Nico, Vadillo, Iñaki, Vías, Jesús María, Neukum, Christoph, Sinreich, Michael, Jiménez, Pablo, Brechenmacher, Julia, Carrasco, Francisco, Hötzl, Heinz, Perles, María Jesús, Zwahlen, François
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Conservation of Natural Resources
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Enterobacteriaceae
Exact sciences and technology
Feces - microbiology
Geological Phenomena
Geology
Groundwaters
Hydrocarbons, Aromatic
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
Intrinsic vulnerability
Karst
Natural water pollution
Pan-European Approach
Pollution
Risk Assessment
Sierra de Líbar
Spain
Specific vulnerability
Water Pollutants
Water resources
Water Supply
Water treatment and pollution
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Summary:The European COST action 620 proposed a comprehensive approach to karst groundwater protection, comprising methods of intrinsic and specific vulnerability mapping, validation of vulnerability maps, hazard and risk mapping. This paper presents the first application of all components of this Pan-European Approach to the Sierra de Líbar, a karst hydrogeology system in Andalusia, Spain. The intrinsic vulnerability maps take into account the hydrogeological characteristics of the area but are independent from specific contaminant properties. Two specific vulnerability maps were prepared for faecal coliforms and BTEX. These maps take into account the specific properties of these two groups of contaminants and their interaction with the karst hydrogeological system. The vulnerability assessment was validated by means of tracing tests, hydrological, hydrochemical and isotope methods. The hazard map shows the localization of potential contamination sources resulting from human activities, and evaluates those according to their dangerousness. The risk of groundwater contamination depends on the hazards and the vulnerability of the aquifer system. The risk map for the Sierra de Líbar was thus created by overlaying the hazard and vulnerability maps.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.05.019