Sensitivity analysis for the GALDIT method based on the assessment of vulnerability to pollution in the northern Sfax coastal aquifer, Tunisia

Coastal aquifer of northern Sfax (Tunisia) suffers from the high risk to seawater intrusion and the water quality degradation due to the overexploitation. Hence, assessing the study area vulnerability to pollution is highly crucial so as to protect the groundwater resources. The assessment has been performed by applying the GALDIT method using Geographic Information System (GIS) software and multi-criteria evaluation techniques, and the sensitivity analysis approach to evaluate the effect of each GALDIT parameter on the vulnerability assessment. The GALDIT vulnerability map classifies the study area into three vulnerability classes: low vulnerability (30–50), moderate vulnerability (50–70), and high vulnerability (70–90), which represent 5, 30, and 65 % of the study area, respectively. The map illustrates that the coastal zones of the aquifer are the most threatened areas. The sensitivity analysis results show that the aquifer hydraulic conductivity (A) and the thickness of the aquifer (T) represent the determining factors in the modified vulnerability model. The real weight was used to elaborate the modified GALDIT model which was correlated with resistivity values for validation. This study could serve as a scientific basis for sustainable land planning and groundwater management in the study area.