ABSTRACT
The susceptibility of a ground water resource to pollution (e.g., from agricultural chemicals) is related to several local hydrogeological factors. Mapping the aquifer vulnerability to such pollution usually entails the composite consideration of several factors descriptive of the depth and permeability of the unsaturated zone and the area hydrological balance. This chapter focuses on approaches that lead to the development of numerical indices or classifications of geographical areas with regard to the vulnerability of their ground water resources to man-made pollution activities. The primary technical issue addressed in vulnerability mapping is the subsurface transport and fate of potential pollutant chemicals. While not limited to the unsaturated or vadose zone, the general emphasis of most vulnerability mapping techniques is on transport through this media as opposed to transport within the saturated zone. The susceptibility of a ground water resource to pollution (e.g., from agricultural chemicals) is related to several local hydrogeological factors.
