Identifying groundwater prospect zones through earth observation techniques in Bilate watershed, Rift Valley Lakes Basin, Ethiopia

Groundwater is one of the most valuable natural resources gifted to mankind, especially in surface water-scarce locations. Most parts of Ethiopia dependent on the amenity for common needs, irrigation, etc. The lack of a scientific approach to its exploitation and management makes the resource underutilized. Therefore, Remote sensing (RS) and Geographic information systems (GIS) were utilized to decipher potential groundwater zones (PGWZ) existing in the Bilate watershed of the nation to economize, speed up and technicalize the system. The ground truth of the results obtained was verified to confirm the reliability of the techniques used. Through RS, optical and microwave data were obtained, while GIS was helpful in collecting information on water points mapping and 2D resistivity survey in locating the aquifers. In particular, resistivity studies revealed both pyroclastic and rhyolite intrusions that act as water barriers and the basaltic and ignimbrite rocks that favour aquifer affluence. During the process of identification and quantification of PGWZ in the watershed, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), weighted linear combination (WLC), and digital elevation model (DEM) were employed in thematic layer formation, reclassification, overlay analysis and map production. As a result, five PGWZ having very high (19.8%), high (35.3%), moderate (22.6%), low (19.3%), and very low (2.9%) prospects were identified. Similarly, over 75% of the area was moderate to high category in PGWZ. The accuracy of the qualitative groundwater inventory was 92.64 per cent. Thus, combining high-resolution optical/microwave data and GPS information with the AHP model has ascertained the accuracy of the PGWZ identified. So ultimately, the present work lays the foundation for the use of advanced spatial techniques in finding natural resources useful for the welfare of the nation and its populace.