Spatial design of groundwater quality monitoring network using multicriteria analysis based on pollution risk map

Groundwater quality monitoring is a fundamental part of water management in aquifers. It is necessary to measure the spatial and temporal variations of the parameters related to the quality of groundwater, to have the necessary data for the management of the resource. In this sense, the objective of this research was to design a groundwater quality monitoring network in the Texcoco aquifer (Central Mexico), analyzing the spatial criteria that influence the design of networks, through multicriteria analysis in a GIS environment. The selected criteria were groundwater pollution risk, groundwater level drawdown, density of wells and subsidence. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was applied for the weighting of factors (criteria). The weighted sum tool of the ArcGis software was used to create the map of priority monitoring areas. Subsequently, a proposal for a groundwater quality monitoring network was made, and the spatial distribution and density of the monitoring points were determined. Finally, the temporality of the samplings and the parameters to be studied were proposed. The information obtained with this network will help decision-makers to establish and improve strategies for the protection, conservation, and uses of water resources based on available information and easily tools.