Hydrogeological map 1 : 500,000 - Vulnerability of groundwater resources

The vulnerability map of groundwater resources is an addition to the groundwater resources sheet of the Hydrogeological Map of Switzerland at a scale of 1:500,000. It represents the sensitivities of groundwater resources regarding potential threats from pollutants in a nationwide context.

The term vulnerability describes the sensitivity of a system to external disturbances. Applied to groundwater, vulnerability defines the risk to a groundwater resource from the introduction of pollutants into the subsurface. Vulnerability is a relative, non-directly measurable quantity. It results from a combination of various parameters that are considered crucial for the protection of groundwater. The better a groundwater resource is protected against pollutant entry, the lower its vulnerability.