Groundwater Quality and Vulnerability Assessment in a Semiarid Karst Region of Northern China

Groundwater plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and ensuring social operations, especially in arid and semiarid regions (Hu et al., 2023; Han et al., 2022; Ma et al., 2014). The over-exploitation of groundwater, coupled with the influx of pollutants from human activities into the soil, significantly degrades the environment in certain regions (Jia et al., 2019; Famiglietti, 2014; Giordano, 2009; Konikow and Kendy, 2005; B?hlke, 2002; Shah et al., 2000). Assessing the quality and vulnerability of groundwater is crucial in mitigating environmental degradation and ensuring the rational exploitation of groundwater resources.