Pub Date : 2025-08-14DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101504
Guangming Li , Jiani Fu , Xiaomin Fu , Shuwen Zhu , Jie Dong , Wenpeng Jiang
This study introduces a novel anti-passivation composite filler, iron-nickel foam@activated carbon (denoted as INF@AC hereafter), tailored for permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) to combat nitrate contamination in groundwater. Through systematic batch and column experiments, the optimal INF/AC mass ratio (2:2) achieved 43.23 % nitrate removal efficiency within 120 min under neutral pH conditions, with chloride ions exhibiting the strongest inhibitory effect (removal efficiency reduced by 21.5 %). The 12-day column experiments further confirmed the system's robustness, showing near-complete nitrate conversion (99.90–99.98 %) and nitrogen selectivity exceeding 95 %. Advanced characterization (XRD, XPS, FT-IR) revealed that AC mitigated INF surface passivation by forming Fe3+-O-C interfacial bonds, while Ni2+ facilitated electron transfer. Kinetic and XPS data further suggest a reactive hydrogen intermediate (H∗)-mediated pathway, which suppresses byproducts and explains the high selectivity—consistent with iron corrosion electrochemistry. This work establishes a synergistic mechanism (passivation mitigation, electron transfer, H∗-regulated redox), providing a scalable solution for sustainable groundwater remediation.
{"title":"Anti-passivation Fe-Ni Foam@AC PRB: Coupling bimetallic electron transfer and functionalized adsorption for sustainable groundwater nitrate remediation","authors":"Guangming Li , Jiani Fu , Xiaomin Fu , Shuwen Zhu , Jie Dong , Wenpeng Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101504","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101504","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces a novel anti-passivation composite filler, iron-nickel foam@activated carbon (denoted as INF@AC hereafter), tailored for permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) to combat nitrate contamination in groundwater. Through systematic batch and column experiments, the optimal INF/AC mass ratio (2:2) achieved 43.23 % nitrate removal efficiency within 120 min under neutral pH conditions, with chloride ions exhibiting the strongest inhibitory effect (removal efficiency reduced by 21.5 %). The 12-day column experiments further confirmed the system's robustness, showing near-complete nitrate conversion (99.90–99.98 %) and nitrogen selectivity exceeding 95 %. Advanced characterization (XRD, XPS, FT-IR) revealed that AC mitigated INF surface passivation by forming Fe<sup>3+</sup>-O-C interfacial bonds, while Ni<sup>2+</sup> facilitated electron transfer. Kinetic and XPS data further suggest a reactive hydrogen intermediate (H∗)-mediated pathway, which suppresses byproducts and explains the high selectivity—consistent with iron corrosion electrochemistry. This work establishes a synergistic mechanism (passivation mitigation, electron transfer, H∗-regulated redox), providing a scalable solution for sustainable groundwater remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 101504"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144851876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-11DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101502
Rayen Rivera-Vidal , José Luis Arumí , Ovidio Melo , Verónica Delgado , Víctor Parra , Alejandra Stehr , Linda Daniele
As water scarcity intensifies globally due to climate change and growing demand, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is increasingly recognized as a vital nature-based strategy for sustainable groundwater management. Yet, its implementation remains insufficiently adopted in many water-stressed regions. This study addresses the critical gap in understanding the socio-technical and institutional barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of MAR, focusing on Chile—one of Latin America's most water-stressed country. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating qualitative policy analysis, quantitative case study evaluations, and a semi-systematic review of 70 international publications. Key findings reveal persistent challenges, including limited hydrogeological data, weak institutional coordination and lack of clear quality standards. The 15 MAR initiatives analyzed in Chile show wide variation in design, scale, and implementation context. Success often depends on local hydrogeological knowledge, active involvement from water users and sustained institutional support. International case studies illustrate that, while some challenges are highly context-specific, others—such as low public awareness, regulatory gaps regarding water reuse, and insufficient monitoring—are widespread across diverse geographic and institutional settings. This study provides a comprehensive framework for overcoming barriers to MAR implementation, highlighting the importance of adaptive legal frameworks, scientific monitoring and proactive stakeholder engagement. Based on Chilean and international experience, the study proposes a sequenced set of short-, medium-, and long-term policy recommendations to guide MAR development. The insights gained offer valuable guidance for countries worldwide seeking to enhance water security through strategic groundwater management. Future research should focus on developing adaptive governance models and mechanisms for sustained stakeholder collaboration.
{"title":"Managed aquifer recharge implementation challenges: Lessons from Chile's water-scarce regions","authors":"Rayen Rivera-Vidal , José Luis Arumí , Ovidio Melo , Verónica Delgado , Víctor Parra , Alejandra Stehr , Linda Daniele","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101502","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101502","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As water scarcity intensifies globally due to climate change and growing demand, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is increasingly recognized as a vital nature-based strategy for sustainable groundwater management. Yet, its implementation remains insufficiently adopted in many water-stressed regions. This study addresses the critical gap in understanding the socio-technical and institutional barriers that hinder the widespread adoption of MAR, focusing on Chile—one of Latin America's most water-stressed country. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating qualitative policy analysis, quantitative case study evaluations, and a semi-systematic review of 70 international publications. Key findings reveal persistent challenges, including limited hydrogeological data, weak institutional coordination and lack of clear quality standards. The 15 MAR initiatives analyzed in Chile show wide variation in design, scale, and implementation context. Success often depends on local hydrogeological knowledge, active involvement from water users and sustained institutional support. International case studies illustrate that, while some challenges are highly context-specific, others—such as low public awareness, regulatory gaps regarding water reuse, and insufficient monitoring—are widespread across diverse geographic and institutional settings. This study provides a comprehensive framework for overcoming barriers to MAR implementation, highlighting the importance of adaptive legal frameworks, scientific monitoring and proactive stakeholder engagement. Based on Chilean and international experience, the study proposes a sequenced set of short-, medium-, and long-term policy recommendations to guide MAR development. The insights gained offer valuable guidance for countries worldwide seeking to enhance water security through strategic groundwater management. Future research should focus on developing adaptive governance models and mechanisms for sustained stakeholder collaboration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 101502"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144860937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101499
B. Bincy, C.P. Devatha, Arun Kumar Thalla
Titanium (Ti) contamination from coastal mining activities poses significant threats to groundwater and soil quality, especially in regions with ferruginous soils (FS). This study investigates Ti transport and immobilization in FS, assessing its natural retention capacity and the enhancement achieved using bentonite, zeolite, and kaolinite amendments. Environmental assessment identified industrial discharge as the primary source, with elevated Ti in soil (271.67 ppm), surface water (0.56 ppm), and groundwater (0.45 ppm), forcing 86 % of households to rely on alternative sources. The 3D flow model demonstrated that FS reduces Ti mobility; however, rising inlet to outlet head differences (6-12 cm) led to increased flow rates (0.1–0.7 cm3/min), resulting in elevated Ti concentrations in wells 2 and 3(8.55 ppm and 7.23 ppm). Ti peaks observed in the wells were the result of desorption following initial adsorption, reflecting the breakthrough pattern. Batch adsorption tests (0–1000 ppm Ti, 25–27 °C, 1:20 ratio, pH-3.9-5.5) revealed chemisorption dominance at low concentrations (Kd = 28.5 L/kg, KL = 33.39 L/kg) and multilayer physisorption at higher loads (qm = 11.09 mg/g, Kf = 88.11 L/kg), modelled using Linear, Langmuir, and Freundlich isotherms. XRD and SEM-EDS confirmed Ti incorporation into stable mineral phases (Al8Ti32Cl48, Fe4Ti2Cl7, Ti3O5) with increased retention (4.1–7.8 %). Among amendments, bentonite-enhanced FS showed the highest Ti retention (97.5 %, Kf = 478.5 L/kg) at 10–20 % dosage. This integrated experimental framework is transferable to other heavy metal-affected coastal aquifers, where it supports predictive contaminant transport and groundwater protection strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
{"title":"Investigation of Ti contamination and transport mechanisms in ferruginous soils: Impacts of ilmenite and rutile processing and immobilization using clay amendments","authors":"B. Bincy, C.P. Devatha, Arun Kumar Thalla","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101499","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101499","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Titanium (Ti) contamination from coastal mining activities poses significant threats to groundwater and soil quality, especially in regions with ferruginous soils (FS). This study investigates Ti transport and immobilization in FS, assessing its natural retention capacity and the enhancement achieved using bentonite, zeolite, and kaolinite amendments. Environmental assessment identified industrial discharge as the primary source, with elevated Ti in soil (271.67 ppm), surface water (0.56 ppm), and groundwater (0.45 ppm), forcing 86 % of households to rely on alternative sources. The 3D flow model demonstrated that FS reduces Ti mobility; however, rising inlet to outlet head differences (6-12 cm) led to increased flow rates (0.1–0.7 cm<sup>3</sup>/min), resulting in elevated Ti concentrations in wells 2 and 3(8.55 ppm and 7.23 ppm). Ti peaks observed in the wells were the result of desorption following initial adsorption, reflecting the breakthrough pattern. Batch adsorption tests (0–1000 ppm Ti, 25–27 °C, 1:20 ratio, pH-3.9-5.5) revealed chemisorption dominance at low concentrations (K<sub>d</sub> = 28.5 L/kg, K<sub>L</sub> = 33.39 L/kg) and multilayer physisorption at higher loads (q<sub>m</sub> = 11.09 mg/g, K<sub>f</sub> = 88.11 L/kg), modelled using Linear, Langmuir, and Freundlich isotherms. XRD and SEM-EDS confirmed Ti incorporation into stable mineral phases (Al<sub>8</sub>Ti<sub>32</sub>Cl<sub>48</sub>, Fe<sub>4</sub>Ti<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>7</sub>, Ti<sub>3</sub>O<sub>5</sub>) with increased retention (4.1–7.8 %). Among amendments, bentonite-enhanced FS showed the highest Ti retention (97.5 %, K<sub>f</sub> = 478.5 L/kg) at 10–20 % dosage. This integrated experimental framework is transferable to other heavy metal-affected coastal aquifers, where it supports predictive contaminant transport and groundwater protection strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101499"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144758059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-01DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101500
Malis Absametov , Daniyar Chensizbayev , Nurbol Itemen , Ermek Murtazin , Vladimir Mirlas , Michael Zilberbrand , Yaakov Anker
This study analyses the origin of the deep, highly mineralized artesian groundwater of the Shu-Sarysu gas fields based on hydro-chemical modeling. Owing to the local geology these Na-Ca-Cl and Ca-Na-Cl brines contain lithium and other rare metals in concentrations suitable for industrial extraction. Once brine compositions were chemically characterized and their origin studied, three brine formation scenarios were considered: evaporation of the ancient seawater, dissolution of evaporates by ancient seawater, and dissolution of evaporates by fresh water. Following the inverse PHREEQC modeling, the main processes forming calcium-chloride and sodium-calcium-chloride composition of the brines are the dissolution of evaporites by ancient seawater or by freshwater, dolomitization, gypsum and halite dissolution, sulfate reduction and cation exchange with clayey material. Water-rock interaction is suggested to be the main lithium enrichment process.
{"title":"Origin of lithium-rich deep formation waters in Upper Devonian – Lower Carboniferous sediments of Shu-Sarysu gas fields, Kazakhstan, studied by hydro-chemical modeling","authors":"Malis Absametov , Daniyar Chensizbayev , Nurbol Itemen , Ermek Murtazin , Vladimir Mirlas , Michael Zilberbrand , Yaakov Anker","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101500","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101500","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study analyses the origin of the deep, highly mineralized artesian groundwater of the Shu-Sarysu gas fields based on hydro-chemical modeling. Owing to the local geology these Na-Ca-Cl and Ca-Na-Cl brines contain lithium and other rare metals in concentrations suitable for industrial extraction. Once brine compositions were chemically characterized and their origin studied, three brine formation scenarios were considered: evaporation of the ancient seawater, dissolution of evaporates by ancient seawater, and dissolution of evaporates by fresh water. Following the inverse PHREEQC modeling, the main processes forming calcium-chloride and sodium-calcium-chloride composition of the brines are the dissolution of evaporites by ancient seawater or by freshwater, dolomitization<strong>,</strong> gypsum and halite dissolution, sulfate reduction and cation exchange with clayey material. Water-rock interaction is suggested to be the main lithium enrichment process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101500"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144763931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The contamination of water by heavy metals, a consequence of urban development, has the potential to cause significant adverse effects on both human health and the environment. A variety of conventional methods have been developed for removing these toxic metals from water. However, the costs involved may prove prohibitive, particularly in lower-income regions. Adsorption has emerged as a prominent area of research due to its efficacy and cost-effectiveness in addressing this challenge. Carbon-nanotube-based adsorbents represent one of the numerous groups of nanomaterials that are subject to ongoing investigation to enhance their adsorption capabilities. This review assesses the synthesis, performance in removing heavy metals from water, and maturity for practical applications of carbon-based adsorbents, with a focus on carbon nanotubes and graphene derivatives.
{"title":"Mechanistic insights into carbon-nano based adsorbents for heavy metal removal: A comprehensive review","authors":"Amillen Fizry Senaut , Nabisab Mujawar Mubarak , Khairunnisa Nabilah Ruslan , Yie Hua Tan , Rama Rao Karri , Reddy Prasad D.M.","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101498","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101498","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The contamination of water by heavy metals, a consequence of urban development, has the potential to cause significant adverse effects on both human health and the environment. A variety of conventional methods have been developed for removing these toxic metals from water. However, the costs involved may prove prohibitive, particularly in lower-income regions. Adsorption has emerged as a prominent area of research due to its efficacy and cost-effectiveness in addressing this challenge. Carbon-nanotube-based adsorbents represent one of the numerous groups of nanomaterials that are subject to ongoing investigation to enhance their adsorption capabilities. This review assesses the synthesis, performance in removing heavy metals from water, and maturity for practical applications of carbon-based adsorbents, with a focus on carbon nanotubes and graphene derivatives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101498"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144724194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Groundwater plays a significant role in the earth's hydrological cycle. Climate change and population pressure put an extensive strain on the groundwater. SDG-6 focuses on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030. In Malda district, excessive and unsustainable extraction of groundwater resulted in rapid fall in the groundwater table. Therefore, identification of Groundwater Potential Zones (GWPZ) is crucial for sustainable groundwater management which is aligned with SDG-6. In this study, two Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) models have been used to demarcate the GWPZ in Malda district. The study identified five different GWPZ i.e., very high, high, medium, low, and very low. The results of the AHP model and MIF model show slight geographical variation in identification of GWPZ. The AHP and MIF model identified very high category geographical areas accounted for 34 % and 41 % respectively. The district as a whole experienced high groundwater potentiality except the eastern and north-eastern part. Further the result from ROC and AUC values shows that the AHP model is more reliable (AUC 0.831) than the MIF model (AUC 0.824), for the Malda district. The Mann-Kendall trend statistics and Sen's slope estimator found that groundwater depth is rising in the high potential areas over western and southern part at the rate of 0.01–0.16 mbgl year−1, whereas in low potential area extending over eastern and north-eastern parts it decreased at the rate of 0.02–0.07 mbgl year−1. Further, the result proves the high causal relationship between groundwater potentiality and cropping intensity in the Malda district of West Bengal. The findings suggest that in the eastern part of Malda district, groundwater depth is decreasing, indicating low potential in groundwater resources; proper water harvesting structures and adequate management strategies may be initiated for long-term sustainable socio-economic and environmental growth.
{"title":"Identifying groundwater potential zones using multi-criteria approach in agriculture-dominated landscapes of Malda district, India","authors":"Roni Kumar Dey , Pallobi Halder , Senjuti Nandy , Rabiul Ansary","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101497","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101497","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater plays a significant role in the earth's hydrological cycle. Climate change and population pressure put an extensive strain on the groundwater. SDG-6 focuses on ensuring availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030. In Malda district, excessive and unsustainable extraction of groundwater resulted in rapid fall in the groundwater table. Therefore, identification of Groundwater Potential Zones (GWPZ) is crucial for sustainable groundwater management which is aligned with SDG-6. In this study, two Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) models have been used to demarcate the GWPZ in Malda district. The study identified five different GWPZ i.e., very high, high, medium, low, and very low. The results of the AHP model and MIF model show slight geographical variation in identification of GWPZ. The AHP and MIF model identified very high category geographical areas accounted for 34 % and 41 % respectively. The district as a whole experienced high groundwater potentiality except the eastern and north-eastern part. Further the result from ROC and AUC values shows that the AHP model is more reliable (AUC 0.831) than the MIF model (AUC 0.824), for the Malda district. The Mann-Kendall trend statistics and Sen's slope estimator found that groundwater depth is rising in the high potential areas over western and southern part at the rate of 0.01–0.16 mbgl year<sup>−1</sup>, whereas in low potential area extending over eastern and north-eastern parts it decreased at the rate of 0.02–0.07 mbgl year<sup>−1</sup>. Further, the result proves the high causal relationship between groundwater potentiality and cropping intensity in the Malda district of West Bengal. The findings suggest that in the eastern part of Malda district, groundwater depth is decreasing, indicating low potential in groundwater resources; proper water harvesting structures and adequate management strategies may be initiated for long-term sustainable socio-economic and environmental growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101497"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144721286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101495
Michel Le Page , Lahoucine Hanich , Lahcen Benaabidate , Ikram El Hazdour , Anas El Ouali , Ouiaam Lahnik , Marielle Montginoul , Jalal Moustadraf , Sylvain Ferrant , Ali Rhoujjati , Houria Tadderat , Mehrez Zribi , Lionel Jarlan
The intensification of irrigated agriculture in Morocco, coupled with a series of droughts, is leading to unprecedented groundwater depletion. Highly incentive public policies have led to a significant increase in areas irrigated by drip irrigation in recent years. This change in technique is accompanied by the digging of small reservoirs designed to store water the pumped on the farm. This article aims to demonstrate that the number and surface area of these reservoirs are an indirect proxy of groundwater dynamic and, where appropriate, depletion. Using time series of satellite observations, we count the number of tanks and estimate their area over four overexploited aquifers (Errachidia, Haouz, Saïss, and Zagora) with contrasted dynamics representative of the evolution of agricultural practices in Morocco. The technique is applied over the period 2016–2023 to report on the annual evolution of those tanks. The validation showed a very good accounting (rRMSE of −1.2 %) and an overestimation of the area (+14 %). The striking increase of tanks in each aquifer is closely linked to the generalized water table drop. Nevertheless, it is also observed that each aquifer has its own dynamics. In the palm tree corridor of Errachidia, the number of reservoirs has increased tenfold in those seven years. In the Haouz and Saïss aquifers, it has doubled. In the Zagora region, the aquifer level is already dramatically low and the trend of irrigation tanks is towards stabilization, with as much abandonment as construction of tanks. The method could help offset limited groundwater data and support monitoring and transparency—key elements of effective groundwater governance.
{"title":"The proliferation of tiny irrigation tanks observed by remote sensing is in phase with groundwater depletion in Morocco","authors":"Michel Le Page , Lahoucine Hanich , Lahcen Benaabidate , Ikram El Hazdour , Anas El Ouali , Ouiaam Lahnik , Marielle Montginoul , Jalal Moustadraf , Sylvain Ferrant , Ali Rhoujjati , Houria Tadderat , Mehrez Zribi , Lionel Jarlan","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101495","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101495","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The intensification of irrigated agriculture in Morocco, coupled with a series of droughts, is leading to unprecedented groundwater depletion. Highly incentive public policies have led to a significant increase in areas irrigated by drip irrigation in recent years. This change in technique is accompanied by the digging of small reservoirs designed to store water the pumped on the farm. This article aims to demonstrate that the number and surface area of these reservoirs are an indirect proxy of groundwater dynamic and, where appropriate, depletion. Using time series of satellite observations, we count the number of tanks and estimate their area over four overexploited aquifers (Errachidia, Haouz, Saïss, and Zagora) with contrasted dynamics representative of the evolution of agricultural practices in Morocco. The technique is applied over the period 2016–2023 to report on the annual evolution of those tanks. The validation showed a very good accounting (rRMSE of −1.2 %) and an overestimation of the area (+14 %). The striking increase of tanks in each aquifer is closely linked to the generalized water table drop. Nevertheless, it is also observed that each aquifer has its own dynamics. In the palm tree corridor of Errachidia, the number of reservoirs has increased tenfold in those seven years. In the Haouz and Saïss aquifers, it has doubled. In the Zagora region, the aquifer level is already dramatically low and the trend of irrigation tanks is towards stabilization, with as much abandonment as construction of tanks. The method could help offset limited groundwater data and support monitoring and transparency—key elements of effective groundwater governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 101495"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144890495","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-19DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101496
Husam Musa Baalousha
This study proposes Artificial Intelligence methods, namely, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Random Forest (RF), for developing groundwater vulnerability maps in arid regions while minimizing data requirements. While the DRASTIC approach is widely used for assessing intrinsic groundwater vulnerability, its predefined weights and ratings are controversial due to their dependence on expert judgment. Using importance analysis with an RF Regressor on data from Qatar, as a case study representing an arid environment, the study revealed that soil media and groundwater recharge have negligible effects on vulnerability in arid regions. Both ANN and RF models showed good agreement with the original DRASTIC vulnerability map when using only five of the seven DRASTIC parameters, with correlation coefficients more than 0.8. Statistical analysis confirmed both models have good reliability, though the RF model demonstrated a slightly better performance with lower Mean Absolute Error values (2.9 for training, 3.2 for validation) compared to the ANN model (3.6 for training, 3.7 for validation). The study shows that groundwater vulnerability assessment in arid environments with DRASTIC using RF is more time efficient and accurate compared to the ANN.
{"title":"Machine learning approaches for groundwater vulnerability assessment in arid environments: Enhancing DRASTIC with ANN and Random Forest","authors":"Husam Musa Baalousha","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101496","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101496","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study proposes Artificial Intelligence methods, namely, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Random Forest (RF), for developing groundwater vulnerability maps in arid regions while minimizing data requirements. While the DRASTIC approach is widely used for assessing intrinsic groundwater vulnerability, its predefined weights and ratings are controversial due to their dependence on expert judgment. Using importance analysis with an RF Regressor on data from Qatar, as a case study representing an arid environment, the study revealed that soil media and groundwater recharge have negligible effects on vulnerability in arid regions. Both ANN and RF models showed good agreement with the original DRASTIC vulnerability map when using only five of the seven DRASTIC parameters, with correlation coefficients more than 0.8. Statistical analysis confirmed both models have good reliability, though the RF model demonstrated a slightly better performance with lower Mean Absolute Error values (2.9 for training, 3.2 for validation) compared to the ANN model (3.6 for training, 3.7 for validation). The study shows that groundwater vulnerability assessment in arid environments with DRASTIC using RF is more time efficient and accurate compared to the ANN.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101496"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144678724","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-19DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101494
Oualid Boukich , Mohamed Bouaissa , Jean-Denis Taupin , Nicolas Patris , Elkhadir Gharibi
This study was conducted to determine the main hydrogeochemical processes controlling the mineralization in the Angads groundwater in North-East Morocco. To achieve this, hydrogeochemical compositions combined with multiple stable and radioactive isotopes (18O, 2H, 3H, and 14C) were analyzed in groundwater. Statistical analysis showed that average ion concentrations in groundwater were in the following order: Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ > NH4+ for cations, and Cl− > HCO3− > SO42− > NO3− for anions. The aquifer is mainly composed of Ca-Mg-Cl type waters, which account for over 70 % of the samples. The results show that water mineralization is mainly due to the dissolution of evaporites, as well as the influence of ion exchange, and probably a part of evaporative enrichment. The 2H vs 18O diagram revealed that aquifer recharge is more depleted isotopically than the local rainfall, pointing to a recharge in high elevation mountains to the south/south-east of the zone, and that all points are influenced by evaporation before or during infiltration. The levels of 3H indicate that all samples show a limited recent water component mixed with an older component dated back to 2233 BP according to 14C measurements.
{"title":"Groundwater mineralization processes in a semi-arid region: hydrogeochemical, isotopic and statistical approaches","authors":"Oualid Boukich , Mohamed Bouaissa , Jean-Denis Taupin , Nicolas Patris , Elkhadir Gharibi","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101494","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101494","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study was conducted to determine the main hydrogeochemical processes controlling the mineralization in the Angads groundwater in North-East Morocco. To achieve this, hydrogeochemical compositions combined with multiple stable and radioactive isotopes (<sup>18</sup>O, <sup>2</sup>H, <sup>3</sup>H, and <sup>14</sup>C) were analyzed in groundwater. Statistical analysis showed that average ion concentrations in groundwater were in the following order: Na<sup>+</sup> > Ca<sup>2+</sup> > Mg<sup>2+</sup> > K<sup>+</sup> > NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> for cations, and Cl<sup>−</sup> > HCO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> > SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2−</sup> > NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> for anions. The aquifer is mainly composed of Ca-Mg-Cl type waters, which account for over 70 % of the samples. The results show that water mineralization is mainly due to the dissolution of evaporites, as well as the influence of ion exchange, and probably a part of evaporative enrichment. The <sup>2</sup>H vs <sup>18</sup>O diagram revealed that aquifer recharge is more depleted isotopically than the local rainfall, pointing to a recharge in high elevation mountains to the south/south-east of the zone, and that all points are influenced by evaporation before or during infiltration. The levels of <sup>3</sup>H indicate that all samples show a limited recent water component mixed with an older component dated back to 2233 BP according to <sup>14</sup>C measurements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101494"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144694401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-12DOI: 10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101492
Mohammad Masoud Mohammadpour Khoie , Reza Barati , Hojat Mirani , Amir Javad Danesh Pajouh , Gholameza Mamdoohi , Mohamamd Ali Nematmejad , Mohsen Maghrebi
Groundwater, as the only source of water in arid regions, plays a crucial role in socio-economic developments. Relying on groundwater resources, agricultural developments in Iran have caused a dramatic decline in groundwater table. To prevent the rapid groundwater depletion, the government initiated some policies including detecting and sealing illegal wells and installing smart meter systems to control the groundwater withdrawal. Despite the implementation of these policies over the past 15 years, their effectiveness is still a subject of debate among researchers, experts, and the public. The absence of a framework to evaluate the effectiveness of applied policies is a highlighted research gap in Iran. Therefore, this study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented policies by developing a tailor-made framework in Khorasan Razavi province. The proposed framework is applied on 39 aquifers utilizing piezometric data of groundwater table in 844 piezometers. Findings showed implemented policies successfully contributed in preventing rapid groundwater depletion in almost all aquifers. Installing smart meter systems is detected as the most impactful policy in harnessing the rapid groundwater depletion. The proposed metric is transferable and can be applied to any aquifer. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights for further developments of groundwater policies in Iran.
{"title":"Sign of groundwater improvement in Iran: Were governmental policies effective?","authors":"Mohammad Masoud Mohammadpour Khoie , Reza Barati , Hojat Mirani , Amir Javad Danesh Pajouh , Gholameza Mamdoohi , Mohamamd Ali Nematmejad , Mohsen Maghrebi","doi":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101492","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gsd.2025.101492","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater, as the only source of water in arid regions, plays a crucial role in socio-economic developments. Relying on groundwater resources, agricultural developments in Iran have caused a dramatic decline in groundwater table. To prevent the rapid groundwater depletion, the government initiated some policies including detecting and sealing illegal wells and installing smart meter systems to control the groundwater withdrawal. Despite the implementation of these policies over the past 15 years, their effectiveness is still a subject of debate among researchers, experts, and the public. The absence of a framework to evaluate the effectiveness of applied policies is a highlighted research gap in Iran. Therefore, this study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of implemented policies by developing a tailor-made framework in Khorasan Razavi province. The proposed framework is applied on 39 aquifers utilizing piezometric data of groundwater table in 844 piezometers. Findings showed implemented policies successfully contributed in preventing rapid groundwater depletion in almost all aquifers. Installing smart meter systems is detected as the most impactful policy in harnessing the rapid groundwater depletion. The proposed metric is transferable and can be applied to any aquifer. The outcomes of this research offer valuable insights for further developments of groundwater policies in Iran.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":37879,"journal":{"name":"Groundwater for Sustainable Development","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101492"},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144678352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号