Nitrate contamination risk of the Zagreb aquifer

Nitrates present one of the main groundwater contaminants in the world and in the Zagreb aquifer. In order to reduce nitrate concentrations in groundwater, it is necessary to spatially define main nitrogen sources and areas which have the highest risk of nitrate contamination. This paper presents a map of nitrate contamination risk in the area of the Zagreb aquifer. It was constructed based on nine different layers that include natural characteristics and anthropogenic pressures. For the construction of the Main map, which has been defined as the most representative one, 15 different variations have been tested. The Main map has shown that the urban part of the City of Zagreb, especially central and eastern parts, together with the area of Jakuševec landfill and marshalling station, present areas with the highest risk of nitrate contamination, which is consistent with the results of previous research.