Selecting potential locations for groundwater recharge by means of remote sensing and GIS and weighting based on Boolean logic and analytic hierarchy process

• Growing demand for water, as a consequence of population growth, farmland irrigation, and industrial expansion, results in groundwater resources exploitation. This, in combination with droughts induced by climate change, has caused a sharp drop in groundwater levels throughout arid and semiarid countries. In Iran, all these factors are resulting in alarming water scarcity. Appropriate management and control of existing water resources can overcome water shortages, with healthy and sustainable management of groundwater as one of the most efficient tools. Artificial recharge of aquifers can be used to replenish water supplies and restore the water resources in Iran and other semiarid and arid countries, but selection of the right location for runoff collection is essential to achieve success. Precipitation, slope, geology, lineament density, drainage density, aquifer water quality, groundwater level, vegetation, and land use were selected in this study as key factors in locating suitable sites for artificial recharge. The weight of each, in terms of importance and impact on aquifer recharge, was determined using remote sensing techniques to prepare layers and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Boolean logic to identify the optimal weight for each factor. Geographic information system (GIS) was used for modeling, applying the weight of each criterion, and producing a final map. The results showed better performance of AHP than Boolean logic. For artificial recharge, 9.9% of the total study area (Mahdishahr in northern Iran) was found to be in a very good position and 22.6% in a good position. On filtering the privacy layer of fountains and aqueducts, the very good and good area declined to 8.4% and 14.7% of the total area, respectively, and mainly comprised alluvial valleys and coarse alluvial sediments with low slope and drainage density.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Vattenteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Water Engineering (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

AHP

Groundwater

Boolean

GIS

Remote sensing

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