Current trends and future challenges in groundwater vulnerability assessment using overlay and index methods

The concept of groundwater vulnerability is a useful tool for environmental planning and decision-making. Many different methods have been developed for assessing this vulnerability. Hydrogeologists have failed to reach a consensus concerning the definitions of and reference terms for groundwater vulnerability assessment. Therefore, a review of vulnerability assessment and mapping methods providing a new classification system is necessary. This is focused on techniques that use the overlay and index class methods. New research challenges in vulnerability assessment are identified, especially the need for developing dynamic links between numerical models and overlay and index methods.