Drastic yöntem ile yeraltı suyunun kirlilik hassasiyetinindeğerlendirilmesi: Bursa ili Karacabey ve Mustafakemalpaşaovası uygulaması

Management and protection of groundwater resources have significant importance. In this respect, groundwater vulnerability assessment is essential and considered the first step in groundwater protection strategies. In this research, the groundwater vulnerability of the Mustafakemalpaşa and Karacabey plain is assessed using the GIS-based DRASTIC method. According to the vulnerability assessment, 16.3% of the study area is under low vulnerability, 18.8% under moderate vulnerability to contamination, while 39% under high vulnerability, and around 25.5% can be considered as an area of very high groundwater vulnerability. A sensitivity analysis is applied to calculate the effect of each used parameter on the resulting vulnerability map. Based on the sensitivity analysis, net recharge and hydraulic conductivity tend to be the most effective parameters. In addition, relationships between the resulting DRASTIC vulnerability indices and the nitrate concentration, TDS measures, sulfate concentration, coliform bacteria measures, and other water quality parameters are investigated. Simple linear regression analysis showed a linear relationship between DRASTIC vulnerability indices and sulfate concentrations (R² = 0.648). Whilst, the analysis showed that there is no conclusive relationship between DRASTIC vulnerability indices and nitrate concentrations or TDS measurements. Also, the coliform bacteria measurements at some wells showed the aquifer is not free of coliform bacteria.