Evaluating time series integrated groundwater sustainability: a case study in Salt Lake catchment, Iran

Abstract

Assessing the behavior of the aquifer system and its changes over time is an inevitable challenge to ensure the use of groundwater in a sustainable way. For this purpose, in this study, by presenting 7 indicators in 5 dimensions of groundwater sustainability, the stability of aquifers located in the Salt Lake catchment over time was calculated. The Salt Lake catchment, with an area of \u200b\u200b92,884.2 square kilometers, is one of the most important second-grade watersheds in \xa0Iran country in terms of the importance of water resources. It is located in the provinces of Tehran, Markazi, Qazvin, Zanjan, Hamedan, Isfahan, Qom, and Alborz, and this basin contains 36 aquifers. In this paper, to investigate the progress of the sustainability plan in the Salt Lake catchment, groundwater sustainability indicators were introduced as measurable variables over time. These indicators, used to assess groundwater sustainability based on measurable and observable data, provide information about the quantity and quality of groundwater resources (current situation and trends), environmental impacts on the aquifer, and social and economic situation (human development index indicators). The sustainability calculated for each index alone can express the degree of sustainability in aquifers in the category related to the index. In addition, through a time series index, the overall stability of aquifers located in this catchment is calculated by integrating all available indicators. The results show that the overall sustainability of the aquifers located in the Salt Lake catchment decreases over time, and in general, aquifers located in the western part of the basin show higher sustainability rather than in other parts. Therefore, it can be said that implementation of the groundwater resources sustainability plan in this catchment has not been successful and the management plan needs to be updated as soon as possible.