Received: 2015.06.08 Vulnerability Assessment of Bostan Abad Plain Qquifer by DRASTIC and SINTACS Models

Bostan Abad plain is located in East Azerbaijan province, North West of Iran. Groundwater resources of the plain supply significant portion of the drinking and agricultural water demands of the area, as a result, protection of these resources from contamination is an important task. Therefore, for assessing of the aquifer vulnerability, DRASTIC and SINTACS models were used in GIS software setting. The plain vulnerability maps for each model, according to data layers including depth of water table, net recharge rate, aquifer media, soil media, topography, VA-dose zone media and hydraulic conductivity were prepared. The final map of aquifer vulnerability with five zone of vulnerability from very low to high is produced. DRASTIC and SINTACS index were calculated from 61 to188 and 92 to 202 respectively. The sensitivity analysis was determined by a single parameter that the vadose zone media has the most significant impact on the vulnerability index. The distribution of nitrate ions concentrations were used for the models verification. The adaptation nitrate layer and zoning map of vulnerability for both models showed that the areas with high concentration of nitrates are coincided with high potential vulnerability areas. The correlation coefficient of 0.75 between DRASTIC model and nitrate layer were obtained. For preparing the contamination risk map of groundwater, the land use layer was overlapped to DRASTIC vulnerability map. The results of overlapping maps showed that 31.33 percent of the total area of land used for agriculture is high potential vulnerable area. According to the final maps of vulnerability for both models the central and northwestern parts of the plain contains the highest contamination potential in the area.