Groundwater vulnerability assessment using drastic method approach in and around Keoladev Ghana national park, Rajasthan, India

An area of about 510 sq km around Keoladev Ghana National Park - A World Heritage Site - and Bharatpur city has been investigated for assessment of groundwater vulnerability. Groundwater is the major source of water for various uses in the study area. Hence, the DRASTIC method approach has been used as a valuable tool for identifying groundwater zones that are vulnerable to contamination. Adopting DRASTIC model approach, the Vulnerability Index has been determined for the entire area that ranges from 174 to 203. On the basis of Vulnerability Index, the area has been classified into three categories i.e. area with Vulnerability Index 174-185, 185-195 and 195-205 corresponding to low, moderate and high vulnerability zones, respectively. Using this classification, a groundwater vulnerability map has been generated which shows that 37% of the study area falls under low vulnerable zone, 51% under moderate vulnerable zone and only 12% falls under high vulnerability zone.