A new decision-oriented groundwater protection model: framework and implementation in a case study in Morocco

Groundwater protection models systematically assess the vulnerability of the entire aquifer. They require extensive but often scarce or expensive data to produce guidelines that are barely comprehensible to policymakers. A better alternative would be a cartographic fragmentation of the landscape to target locations where polluting activities exist or are expected and simplify the model so that it is easier to implement and leads to measurable, realistic, and timely actions. In this paper, we propose a new flexible user-oriented Groundwater Protection Model (GPM) that adapts to land use changes to anticipate protection measures. It was designed to provide two key elements: (i) the response time which is a function of thickness and hydraulic conductivity of the unsaturated zone, and (ii) the protection measures that depend on the type of contaminant likely to penetrate from a surface spill. GPM was tested in a case study in Morocco where targeted geophysical surveys filled the data gap. The results are consistent with previous classic studies and have the advantage of being cost-effective and spatially specific. For this, we recommend its broad application to improve the management and protection of groundwater, particularly in the event of a lack of means or data. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].