A mini-Critical Review of Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment Methods and Future Challenges

In arid and semi-arid countries, groundwater reserves are primary water resources. On the other hand, increasing pollution of these resources has created a concept called"groundwater vulnerability." This has been followed by extensive research in recent decades. Therefore, proper preservation, maintenance, and use of these resources areinevitable. Assessing groundwater vulnerability to pollution has become a valuable tool for preventing and controlling groundwater pollution. Also, the increase in population around the world caused followed by the possibility of further contamination of these resources by humans and the introduction of various methods to study this type of vulnerability; there should be a critical review of existing methods and understanding the challenges and problems of this type of vulnerability. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to review and critically review the various methods of groundwater vulnerability and the challenges ahead. We first define groundwater and the concept of vulnerability, then examine Index Methods, Process-based Methods, and Soft Computing Methods, respectively. Next, we look at current and future challenges.

Keywords:

Groundwater , Vulnerability , Index Methods , Process-based Methods , Soft Computing Methods