Hydrochemical Characterization and Predictive Modeling of Groundwater Quality in Karst Aquifers Under Semi-Arid Climate: A Case Study of Ghar Boumaaza, Algeria

Understanding groundwater quality in karst environments is essential, particularly in semi-arid regions where water resources are highly vulnerable to both climatic variability and anthropogenic pressures. The Ghar Boumaaza karst aquifer, located in the semi-arid Tlemcen Mountains of Algeria, represents a critical yet understudied water resource increasingly threatened by climate change and human activity. This study integrates hydrochemical analysis, multivariate statistical techniques, and predictive modeling to assess groundwater quality and characterize the relationship between total dissolved solids (TDSs) and discharge (Q). An analysis of 66 water samples revealed that 96.97% belonged to a Ca2+–HCO3− facies, reflecting carbonate rock dissolution, while 3% exhibited a Cl−–HCO3− facies associated with agricultural contamination. A principal component analysis identified carbonate weathering (40.35%) and agricultural leaching (18.67%) as the dominant drivers of mineralization. A third-degree polynomial regression model (R2 = 0.953) effectively captured the nonlinear relationship between TDSs and flow, demonstrating strong predictive capacity. Independent validation (R2 = 0.954) confirmed the model’s robustness and reliability. This study provides the first integrated hydrogeochemical assessment of the Ghar Boumaaza system in decades and offers a transferable methodological framework for managing vulnerable karst aquifers under similar climatic and anthropogenic conditions.