Assessment of groundwater potential zones for hard rock area of sabi river basin using an integrated approach of remote sensing, GIS and AHP techniques

The study was conducted to assess groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) for hard rock area of Sabi river basin for the sustainable development. Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) have emerged as crucial methods in retrieval, monitoring and conserving groundwater resources were used along with Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to demarcate the GWPZs. In order to assess GWP in the study area, eight thematic maps: drainage density, geomorphology, geology, rainfall, land use/land cover, lineament density, slope and soil were prepared using RS and conventional data. The AHP was applied to assign the weightages for each thematic map and its sub classes. Then, the thematic layers were overlaid using the weighted overlay analysis means of ArcGIS 10.4 to assess the GWPZ map of Sabi basin. The Sabi basin was categorized into five classes of GWPZ as very good (0.01%), good (24.72%), moderate (56.54%), poor (10.45%) and very poor (8.28%). The accuracy of produced GWPZ map was assessed with well yield data by agreement scheme using ground water prospects map and by using ROC curve analysis through R-studio software which indicates the satisfactory GWPZ map prediction accuracy. This study provides valuable database in planning and development of groundwater recharging and to delineate locations of potential artificial recharge sites in the hard rock regions and semi -arid areas so that appropriate structures could be planned and constructed to manage aquifer recharge for sustainable groundwater management in the future.