TITLE:
Development and Application of a Socially Integrated Water Pollution Pressure Index (WPPI) in the Gold-Mining Region of Kédougou, Eastern Senegal
AUTHORS:
Pathé Diéye, Birane Niane, Alassane Thiam, Mouhamadou Moustapha Mbacké Ndour, Mansour Samb
KEYWORDS:
Water Pollution Pressure Index (WPPI), Mining Impacts, Artisanal Gold Mining, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Water Quality, Senegal, Kédougou, Heavy Metals, ESIA, Social Vulnerability
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.18 No.10,
October
22,
2026
ABSTRACT: In the gold-mining region of Kédougou, Senegal, the co-occurrence of large-scale industrial operations and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) generates multiple and potentially cumulative pressures on water resources. This study assesses the spatio-temporal evolution of water pollution pressure by comparing historical Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs, 2006-2023) with independent field data collected from 43 sampling points between 2021 and 2024. We developed the Water Pollution Pressure Index (WPPI), a composite index integrating contaminant concentrations (As, Hg, Pb, CN−), toxicological weighting (Pi), local water-use patterns (Fi), and proximity to pollution sources with regularization (Di). The WPPI generates a normalized score from 0 to 1, ranging from Class A (Low) to Class E (Critical). Results reveal a consistent descriptive trend toward higher heavy-metal concentrations in recent field measurements compared with historical ESIA data. WPPI scores increased from moderate levels (0.29 - 0.42) in historical ESIAs to very high or critical levels (0.61 - 0.84) in contemporary field measurements. Spatial interpolation using Inverse Distance Weighting identified a “WPPI Pressure Triangle” encompassing the Diabougou-Khossanto corridor, the Falémé River zone, and the Gambia River basin as a priority area for enhanced environmental surveillance. The analysis also identified major methodological gaps in reviewed ESIAs, including limited assessment of cumulative effects, infrequent wet-season sampling, and inconsistent use of international standards such as WHO and IFC guidelines. The WPPI shows potential as an operational decision-support tool for strategic environmental assessment and spatial prioritization. The findings suggest that mining-related water pollution pressure in Kédougou is better understood as a chronic and spatially interconnected issue than as a series of isolated incidents. Further external validation of the WPPI is recommended, together with its progressive integration into regulatory monitoring frameworks incorporating mandatory spatio-temporal surveillance and multi-stakeholder governance.