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Climate change

Groundwater Vulnerability to Pollution in Flood-Affected Regions of Pakistan

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Research conducted by scientists at the University of Peshawar has revealed alarming rates of groundwater contamination in flood-affected areas of Pakistan. The study, published in Solid Earth Sciences, utilized the DRASTIC and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) models to assess the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution in Nowshera, a district in the Kabul River Basin. The findings indicate that anthropogenic activities such as agriculture and industrial processes significantly contribute to groundwater pollution, and catastrophic floods have exacerbated the problem.

Key Takeaways:

  • The frequency and intensity of disastrous floods are increasing globally due to climate change, contaminating groundwater through infiltration of floodwaters into open-dug wells, boreholes, and aquifers.
  • Anthropogenic activities, including agriculture and industrial processes, significantly contribute to groundwater pollution, posing a serious threat to groundwater vulnerability in the region.
  • The study assessed the aquifer vulnerability to pollution using the DRASTIC and AHP models in Nowshera, with several parameters evaluated, including depth to groundwater, net recharge rate, aquifer media, soil media, topography, the impact of the vadose zone, and conductivity of the aquifer.
  • The final vulnerability maps produced for the study area were divided into five groundwater-vulnerable zones, with the DRASTIC results categorizing the study area as very low, low, moderate, high, and very high.
  • The AHP results produced a very highly vulnerable zone covering an area of 233 km2, more than the DRASTIC results.
  • The research concluded that the results have been validated with the concentration of nitrate, sulfate, and total dissolved solvent water quality parameters.
  • The study provides a straightforward method to assess groundwater pollution vulnerability, valuable insights for policy and decision-makers in managing groundwater pollution, and identifies suitable sites for landfill disposal.

Statistics:

  • The AHP results produced a very highly vulnerable zone covering 233 km2 in the study area.
  • The DRASTIC results categorized the study area as very low, covering an area of 278 km2; low, covering an area of 460 km2; moderate, covering an area of 543 km2; high, covering an area of 355 km2; and very high, covering an area of 90 km2.
  • The concentration of nitrate, sulfate, and total dissolved solvent water quality parameters was used to validate the results of the study.

Sources:

  • (2025) Geospatial assessment of groundwater vulnerability to pollution using the DRASTIC and AHP model in flood-affected area, Nowshera, Pakistan. Solid Earth Sciences, 10(2), 100239. (http://www.journals.elsevier.com/solid-earth-sciences/)
  • (2025) University of Peshawar Researchers Provide New Study Findings on Geology (Geospatial assessment of groundwater vulnerability to pollution using the DRASTIC and AHP model in flood-affected area, Nowshera, Pakistan). Science Letter. June 13, 2025; p 1746.

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