Groundwater Potential Assessment Using GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques: Case Study of West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Groundwater is a crucial source of water supply due to its continuous availability, reasonable natural quality, and being easily diverted directly to the poor community more cheaply and quickly. The West Arsi Zone residents remain surface water dependent due to traditional exploration of groundwater, which is a tedious approach in terms of resources and time. This study uses remote sensing data and geographic information system techniques to evaluate the groundwater potential of the study area. This technique is a fast, accurate, and feasible technique. Groundwater potential and recharge zone influencing parameters were derived from Operational Land Imager 8, digital elevation models, soil data, lithological data, and rainfall data. Borehole data were used for results validation. With spatial analysis tools, the parameters affecting groundwater potential (LULC, soil, lithology, rainfall, drainage density, lineament density, slope, and elevation) were mapped and organized. The weight of the parameters according to percent of influence on groundwater potential and recharge was determined by Analytical Hierarchy Process according to their relative influence. For weights allocated to each parameter, the consistency ratio obtained was 0.033, which is less than 0.1, showing the weight allocated to each parameter is acceptable. In the weighted overlay analysis, from a percent influence point of view, slope, land use/cover, and lithology are equally important and account for 24% each, while the soil group has the lowest percent of influence, which accounts only 2% according to this study. The generated groundwater potential map has four ranks, 2, 3, 4, and 5, in which its classes are Low, Moderate, High, and Very High, respectively, based on its groundwater potential availability rank and class. The area coverage is 9825.84 ha (0.79%), 440,726.49 ha (35.46%), 761,438.61 ha (61.27%), and 30,748.68 ha (2.47%) of the study area, respectively. Accordingly, the western part of district is expected to have very high groundwater potential. High groundwater potential is concentrated in the central and western parts whereas moderate groundwater potential distribution is dominant in the eastern part of the area. The validation result of 87.61% confirms the very good agreement among the groundwater record data and groundwater potential classes delineated.

Mapping Groundwater Potential (GWP) in the Al-Ahsa Oasis, Eastern Saudi Arabia Using Data-Driven GIS Techniques

“…While all three parameters contributed to the delineation of groundwater prospect zones, soil texture exhibited the most significant influence, as demonstrated by its high mean rank value of 8.92. This further corroborates findings reported by Kabeto et al [62] in their study. Although Ld was included in the analysis, it demonstrated a minimal impact on the mapping and assessment of groundwater prospects.…”

“…Taking into consideration the inclusion of surface elevation, many other researchers have assured the rationality of surface elevation and its role as being an important factor influencing groundwater potential. For example, a study by Kabeto et al [62] found that elevation was among the most significant elements affecting groundwater potential in the West Arsi Zone of Ethiopia. Another study by Hasanuzzaman et al [58] found that elevation was one of the main features manipulating groundwater potential in the Chota Nagpur Plateau of India.…”

Groundwater quality and potential analysis using geospatial techniques: The case of Ashanti Region in Ghana

“…Most of the research done in Ghana on water quality assessment used a statistical and multivariate approach in assessing the quality of the groundwater source for drinking and irrigation purposes. Research done by Arnold et al [ 2 ], Boateng et al [ 6 ], Hayford & Appiah-Adjei [ 7 ], and Sander et al [ 13 ] failed to determine spatially the groundwater zones and quality similar to works by Hagos & Andualem [ 14 ], Kabeto et al [ 15 ], Rahmati et al [ 16 ], and Saranya & Saravanan [ 17 ]. The purpose of this study is to create continuous surface and maps of groundwater quality data, which will help to identify areas where groundwater quality parameters exceed the acceptable limits.…”

Groundwater Potential Zone Classification Using Geospatial Approach

“…In addition, compacted sediment, which limits the pores, affects infiltration ability. Lithology is a parameter controlling groundwater potential because it influences the characteristics of aquifer materials such as porosity and permeability (Ayazi et al, 2010;Kabeto et al, 2022). The groundwater potential obtained is slightly different between solid and loose sediments in the Serayu watershed, but both are in the moderate to good category.…”

“…In contrast, vegetated land cover (e.g. agricultural land and forest) contributes positively to groundwater potential due to higher infiltration (Kabeto et al, 2022;Li et al, 2018;Singh et al, 2010).…”