Groundwater potential mapping using geospatial techniques: a case study of Dhungeta-Ramis sub-basin, Ethiopia

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to exploit the potential application of weighted index overlay analysis for assessing groundwater potential mapping at Dhungeta-Ramis sub-basin, Wabi Shebele basin, Ethiopia using remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technique. For this purpose, seven groundwater occurrences and movement controlling factors, including, lithology, slope, land use land cover (LULC), rainfall, lineaments, soil, and drainage density were mapped. Then, weight was assigned to thematic maps, and the groundwater prospective of the sub-basin is qualitatively classified into five classes, namely, very good, good, moderate, poor, and very poor which account for 2.22%, 26.93%, 56.74%, 13.84%, and 0.26% landscape, respectively. The cross-validation of the resultant model was carefully carried out using spring, hand-dug, and deep well data. The result reveals that 89% of springs were overlaying good and/or very good groundwater potential zones and 58% of deep well shows the same scenario, whereas 42% of deep well overlays moderate zone. As a result, the map generated using this platform could be used as a preliminary reference in selecting suitable sites for groundwater resource exploitation.

Identification of Groundwater Potential Zones Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques: A Case Study of the Shatt Al-Arab Basin

“…The evolution and flow of groundwater are mainly controlled by material features of the lithology, near-surface and sub-surface soil features, structure, and drainage patterns, whereas replenishment is influenced by rainfall, land use type, and infiltration rates [102]. Groundwater potentiality mapping can be achieved by investigating the controlling factors on groundwater movement, storage, and occurrence [75,103]. In the current study, nine thematic layers (i.e., slope, drainage density, land use/land cover (LULC), rainfall, soil features, lithology, geomorphologic units, lineaments, and distance to river) have been established and integrated for producing a groundwater potential zones map.…”

“…Lithology has a principal impact on the occurrence and movement of groundwater as it highly controls the infiltration and flow processes [103]. Ref.…”

“…Lineaments are often used in mineral exploration studies [132], geothermal resources [133], soil erosion studies [134], earthquakes [135], and the identification of GWPZs [51,94]. Regions with high lineament densities indicate high permeable zones and hence represent good GWPZs [103]. Lineament density (L d ), which is the length of lineament segments in a particular region per its area, is calculated according to the following equation:…”

Prioritization of sub-watersheds of the Kanakapura Watershed in the Arkavathi River Basin, Karnataka, India- using Remote sensing and GIS

“…In hard rock terrain, lineaments exhibit faulting and fracturing zones resulting in higher secondary porosity and permeability and are strong groundwater indicators (Chowdhury et al, 2009;Dinesh Kumar et al, 2007). The capabilities of remote-sensing data in providing vital information about subsurface features that control the movement and storage of groundwater are of great importance in hydrogeological studies (Deepa et al, 2016;Rao et al, 2001;Sharma, 1979;Tolche, 2020). According to Greenbaum (1985) Lineament density is defined as the total length of all lineaments divided by the area under study (Equation (2))…”

Groundwater Potentials of Eocene Limestone Aquifer in West-West El-Minya Area, Egypt

“…There are many factors affecting the groundwater potentials; such as depth to water, lithology, topography, land use and land cover, geological structures, lineaments, hydraulic parameters and water quality Qaddah, 2011 andTolche, 2020), that is why results of studies of groundwater potentials based on the parameter taken into consideration are varied (Magesh et al, 2012).…”