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AHP and GIS for assessment of groundwater suitability for irrigation purpose in coastal-arid zone: Gabes region, southeastern Tunisia

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Abstract

In southern Tunisia especially in Gabes region, irrigated agriculture is the major economic sector. The intensive exploitation of groundwater have been gradually rising, leading the water quality to deteriorate. To ensure sustainable development and preserve water, soil, and land cover resources, a careful estimation of the irrigation water quality, which influence on the regional agriculture activities. The objective of this study is to investigate the irrigation water suitability based on hydrogeological, hydrochemical, and analytic hierarchy approach (AHP) and water quality index (WQI). Results highlighted that TDS of the groundwater ranged from 0.4 to 6 g/L. The most abundant chemical species in the water were Ca2+, Cl−, SO42−, and Na+, with mean concentration of 460 mg/L, 1320 mg/L, 1450 mg/L, and 1200 mg/L, respectively. The largest amounts were discovered along the shoreline and in deep aquifers embedded in Cretaceous sediments. AHP has used as multicriteria decision analysis, to weighting groundwater quality criteria, and groundwater suitability for irrigation has been mapped. Based on the Quality index “WQI”, the water samples are categorized into three types: excellent, acceptable, and worthless. A 45% of sampled water is not suitable for irrigation use. However, groundwater quality is increasingly poor towards the coastal areas and north of the study area. This study concluded that the method adopted in assessing the groundwater quality in arid coastal areas led to important results and could be helpful scholar to improve their research especially in similar areas. It can also assist decision makers in taking proactive solutions to protect and preserve groundwater resources from pollution risks.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the authors on reasonable request.

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  1. Institut Supérieur des Sciences et Techniques des Eaux de Gabès, Université de Gabès, Gabès, Tunisia

    Bilel Abdelkarim, Faten Telahigue, Nabil Abaab, Belgacem Boudabra & Belgacem Agoubi

  2. LR: Applied Hydro-Sciences Laboratory Research Campus Universitaire, 6072 Zrig, Gabes, Tunisia

    Bilel Abdelkarim, Faten Telahigue, Belgacem Boudabra & Belgacem Agoubi

  3. U. R: 3G - Géosystèmes, Géoressources et Géoenvironnements, Faculté des Sciences de Gabes, UR13ES80, Gabes, Tunisia

    Nabil Abaab

  4. Le Mans Université, Géosciences Le Mans, LPG UMR 6112, 72085, Le Mans, France

    Nabil Abaab

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  1. Bilel Abdelkarim
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The authors significantly contributed in preparing, writing, and revising the manuscript. Bilel Abdelkarim: the idea of the original draft sampled water, data collect and analysis, conceptualization, writing the original draft, and formal analysis. Dr. Faten Telahigue: revised the original draft. Nabil Abaab: constructed the methodology section in the study. Belgacem Agoubi and belgacem boudabra: resources, writing-review, and editing.

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Abdelkarim, B., Telahigue, F., Abaab, N. et al. AHP and GIS for assessment of groundwater suitability for irrigation purpose in coastal-arid zone: Gabes region, southeastern Tunisia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 15422–15437 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23193-4

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