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Title: Rivers and groundwater vulnerability to accidental pollutions: Spatial analysis of vulnerability areas

Conference ·
OSTI ID:282351
; ;  [1]
  1. Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines, Sainte-Etienne (France)

The determination of the water resource vulnerability is a necessary step for the prevention of accidental pollution. When rivers or aquifers are used for water supply, it is very useful to forecast pollutant flow velocity in order to determine travel time between the potential pollution points and the intake. Usually, water resource vulnerability cartography takes only distance from intakes into account. But other physical factors are involved in pollutant propagation: slope and soil texture. It is necessary to define a method for automatic cartography of vulnerability zones around the intakes. For this aim, the authors map spatial distribution of the travel time on the resource catchment (river, lake, or well). This typical problem of propagation requires a specific spatial analysis: start from the river or the well and extend the zone upstream according to the velocity values. It is an iterative process: for each selected cell, the neighboring cells which contribute to the inflow are first determined. Then, for these cells, the flow velocity values are used to determine a cumulate travel time to the river or to the well. Eventually, a travel time map is obtained which controls a good deal of the vulnerability. With the aim of decision support for designing protective zones around the rivers and the wells, this method is integrated in a GIS. The method is tested on two areas in the Massif Central (France).

OSTI ID:
282351
Report Number(s):
CONF-9505224-; ISBN 1-56555-079-X; TRN: IM9638%%149
Resource Relation:
Conference: International Emergency Management and Engineering Society, Nice (France), 9-12 May 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of The international emergency and engineering conference 1995: Proceedings. Globalization of emergency management and engineering: National and international issues concerning research and applications; Sullivan, J.D. [ed.] [Optimal Systems, Inc., Dallas, TX (United States)]; Wybo, J.L. [ed.] [Ecole des Mines de Paris (France)]; Buisson, L. [ed.] [CEMAGREF, Saint-Martin d`Heres (France). Div. Nivologie]; PB: 600 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English