Evaluation of quantitative and qualitative sustainability of aquifers by groundwater footprint methodology: case study: West Azerbaijan Province, Iran

In arid and semi-arid areas with limited surface water resources, the daily life and the growth of various economic sectors depend on the provision of services by the groundwater ecosystem. In many countries, groundwater is the main source of freshwater. In addition, groundwater plays an important role within the water cycle, and as such, it feeds and sustains groundwater-dependent ecosystems (such as rivers and wetlands). Therefore, sustainable management of groundwater resources is necessary. Groundwater footprint indicator is a useful tool for assessing the sustainable use of groundwater resources and its associated ecosystem services. In this paper, the sustainable use of groundwater in 28 main alluvial aquifer systems of West Azarbaijan province in the west of Lake Urmia-Northwest of Iran has been investigated by the groundwater footprint indicator. In order to assess the aquifers’ water quality sustainability for agricultural use, the integrated groundwater footprint indicator developed by Kourgialas et al. (2018)—based on GIS spatial analysis—has been used. This assessment can help water sector managers in adopting policies and measures to the sustainable management of the alluvial aquifer system. Due to the availability of sufficient data for all aquifers in 2011, the calculations were performed only for this year. The results showed that no aquifer has a sustainable use of groundwater resources. Also, 16 aquifers do not have qualitative sustainability due to salinity pollution. The results of implementing three applicable policy options to improve the quantitative and qualitative sustainability of aquifers showed that it is possible to change quantitative sustainability all aquifers, but improving qualitative sustainability is possible only in three aquifers.