2021 Volume 41 Issue 4 Pages 503-512
In this study, remote sensing, geographic information system, and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) techniques were combined to delineate the groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) of the Ugii Lake Basin based on six hydrological and hydrogeological factors, a digital elevation model, drainage density, slope, land use/land cover, soil texture, and rainfall. A multi-criteria decision analysis was performed in ArcGIS 10.1, using the assigned weights on each thematic layer by the AHP technique. The GWPZs of the Ugii Lake Basin were delineated and classified into four classes: very high, high, moderate, and poor. Results show that 4.92 km2 of the area (1.88 %) indicate very high groundwater potential, followed by 107.40 km2 (41.13 %) classified as a high zone, 118.19 km2 (45.26 %) as a moderate zone, and 30.62 km2 (11.73 %) as a poor zone. Very high to high GWPZs of the basin were delineated surrounding the Ugii Lake due to their geographic location and the tectonic fault that crosses the lake from west to east. The basin’s delineated GWPZs were validated using corresponding well data. According to their classes, 8 wells (42.11 %) were overlaid in the moderate zone, while 11 wells (57.89 %) were overlaid in the high zone. As the weighted overlay analysis indicated satisfactory results, decision-makers can use the GWPZ map of the Ugii Lake Basin for sustainable water management in this remote area.
