Groundwater vulnerability mapping assessment of central West Bank catchments using PI method

A groundwater vulnerability assessment was carried out in order to understand and control the pollution sources affecting vulnerable regions in two adjacent catchments (Sarida and Natuf), located in the western middle part of the West Bank. The catchments were subjected to groundwater vulnerability mapping and assessment using the modified German State Geological Surveys (GLA method) method called Protective Cover and Infiltration Conditions method (PI method) via ArcGis 2014.2 software package in February of 2016. The results showed that the study area has high effectiveness of protective cover (P-factor), which was obtained by overlying top soil, bedrock, subsoil, and recharge layers. On the other hand, the dominant flow types, land usage, slopes, and topographical classification layers were overlaid to get the infiltration conditions (I-factor). The interaction between the two main factors was carried out in order to obtain the final spatially distributed π-factor values (vulnerability map), which was classified into four vulnerability classes. Statistically, about 4% of the overall area was of extreme vulnerability and concentrated along the sinking streams, while 22% was of low vulnerability and existed outside the main watersheds, followed by high vulnerability with 26%. The largest proportion with 48% of the overall area was of moderate vulnerability to groundwater contamination.