University of Tehran Journal of Natural Environment 2008-7764 72 3 2019 09 23 Qualitative Vulnerability Assessment of Birjand Plain Aquifer Using SINTACS Method Qualitative Vulnerability Assessment of Birjand Plain Aquifer Using SINTACS Method 279 294 72413 10.22059/jne.2019.272569.1605 FA Mobin Eftekhari Master of Science (MSc), Civil Engineering, Water and Hydraulic Structures, Young Researchers and Elite Club, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran 0000-0002-1031-1270 Mohammad Akbari Assist. Prof. at Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran 0000-0002-6882-874X Abbas Ali Ghezelsofloo Head of Arid Environment Research Center, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran Journal Article 2019 01 07 Given the importance of groundwater resources and the water shortage crisis in Iran, a significant attention should be paid to these resources. One of regarding challenges is the resource pollution; therefore the vulnerable resources should be revealed based on suitable assessments to eliminate pollutions by the necessary actions. In the most cases, the groundwater pollution can be detected after the drinking water wells were polluted. Detection of vulnerable zones of an aquifer can be used for the groundwater pollution preventive actions. Different vulnerability assessment methods have been presented which one of the proper and well-known methods of overlaying indicator named SINTACS has been used in this research. The study aims assessing the qualitative vulnerability of Birjand plain aquifer, using SINTACS model for a statistical period of 2016-2017. Based on the results of this assessment, the SINTACS vulnerability zoning map indicates that 12.81 percent of the zone space has a vulnerability of medium to high level, 80.47 percent of the space has a high vulnerability level and 6.71 percent of the space has a very high vulnerability level. For the SINTACS model verification, the relation between vulnerability and Nitrate density values of 21 groundwater samples have been examined. The gained correlation coefficient between vulnerability index of SINTACS and Nitrate density was 71 which shows suitable correlation of this model with Nitrate density as groundwater pollution index. Given the importance of groundwater resources and the water shortage crisis in Iran, a significant attention should be paid to these resources. One of regarding challenges is the resource pollution; therefore the vulnerable resources should be revealed based on suitable assessments to eliminate pollutions by the necessary actions. In the most cases, the groundwater pollution can be detected after the drinking water wells were polluted. Detection of vulnerable zones of an aquifer can be used for the groundwater pollution preventive actions. Different vulnerability assessment methods have been presented which one of the proper and well-known methods of overlaying indicator named SINTACS has been used in this research. The study aims assessing the qualitative vulnerability of Birjand plain aquifer, using SINTACS model for a statistical period of 2016-2017. Based on the results of this assessment, the SINTACS vulnerability zoning map indicates that 12.81 percent of the zone space has a vulnerability of medium to high level, 80.47 percent of the space has a high vulnerability level and 6.71 percent of the space has a very high vulnerability level. For the SINTACS model verification, the relation between vulnerability and Nitrate density values of 21 groundwater samples have been examined. The gained correlation coefficient between vulnerability index of SINTACS and Nitrate density was 71 which shows suitable correlation of this model with Nitrate density as groundwater pollution index. https://jne.ut.ac.ir/article_72413_9f03cb768be0fb8852445a88323846c5.pdf