In this study, priority for groundwater contamination management was assessed based on regional vulnerability in Goyang-si area, Gyonggi-do, Korea using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information system (GIS). We proposed a concept for regional vulnerability to groundwater contamination with using socio-environmental vulnerability factors, which can be classified into three properties including regional hydrogeological property, contamination property, and groundwater use property. This concept is applied to Goyang-si area. For AHP analysis, an expertise-targeted survey was conducted. Based on the survey, a total of 10 factors (criteria) and corresponding weights for regional vulnerability assessment were determined. The result shows that regional contamination property is the most weighted factor among the three property groups (hydrogeological property: contamination property: groundwater use property = 0.3: 0.4: 0.3). Then, database layers for those factors were constructed, and regional vulnerability to groundwater contamination was assessed by weighted superposition using GIS. Results show that estimated regional vulnerability score is ranged from 22.7 to 94.5. Central and western areas of Goyang-si which have groundwater tables at shallow depths and are mainly occupied by industrial and residential areas are estimated to be relatively highly vulnerable to groundwater contamination. Based on assessed regional vulnerability, we classified areas into 4 categories. Category 1 areas, which are ranked at the top 25% of vulnerability score, take about 2.8% area in Goyang-si and give a high priority for groundwater contamination management. The results can provide useful information when the groundwater management authority decide which areas should be inspected with a high priority for efficient contamination management.

Keywords: Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP);Geographic Information System (GIS);Groundwater contamination;Management priority;Regional vulnerability;