Mapping Groundwater Potential Using Geospatial Techniques and AHP-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

Mapping Groundwater Potential Using Geospatial Techniques and AHP-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Mapping Groundwater Potential Using Geospatial Techniques and AHP-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Esubalew Ayimere Awoke, Estifanos Lemma, Sebsibeh Gizachew Mengiste, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8700969/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Groundwater is a vital water resource in Ethiopia, particularly in areas where surface water is limited and highly seasonal. This study delineates groundwater potential zones in the Azuari watershed, upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia, using an integrated Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and multicriteria decision making-Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. Six key thematic factors such as lithology, slope, soil types, drainage density, lineament density, and land use/land cover were derived from satellite imagery, digital elevation models, and geological and soil datasets. relative weights were assign using AHP, and consistency ratios confirmed acceptable judgment reliability. The weighted overlay technique was then applied to generate the groundwater potential map. The watershed was classified into five groundwater potential zones such as very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. Moderate to very high potential zones account for 68.3% of the area, indicating generally suitable groundwater conditions. High potential zones are mainly associated with fractured and weathered lithologies, high lineament density, gentle slope, low drainage density, permeable soils, and forest or agricultural land use, whereas low-potential zones correspond to steep slopes, dense drainage networks, low lineament density, massive lithology and impervious surfaces. Validation using 61 borehole records indicates strong agreement, with 88.5% of boreholes occurring within moderate to very high potential areas. The results confirm that the RS-GIS-AHP approach is a reliable and cost- effective tool for groundwater assessment in data-scarce regions. The generated map provides valuable support for groundwater exploration, borehole site selection, and sustainable water resource management in the Azuari watershed. Earth and environmental sciences/Environmental sciences Earth and environmental sciences/Hydrology Earth and environmental sciences/Natural hazards Earth and environmental sciences/Solid earth sciences Groundwater potential mapping GIS Remote sensing Analytic Hierarchy Process Borehole validation Azuari watershed Ethiopia Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8700969","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":584554865,"identity":"daf021ef-445d-49e4-86ef-870571f4284b","order_by":0,"name":"Esubalew Ayimere 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This study delineates groundwater potential zones in the Azuari watershed, upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia, using an integrated Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and multicriteria decision making-Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. Six key thematic factors such as lithology, slope, soil types, drainage density, lineament density, and land use/land cover were derived from satellite imagery, digital elevation models, and geological and soil datasets. relative weights were assign using AHP, and consistency ratios confirmed acceptable judgment reliability. The weighted overlay technique was then applied to generate the groundwater potential map.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe watershed was classified into five groundwater potential zones such as very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. Moderate to very high potential zones account for 68.3% of the area, indicating generally suitable groundwater conditions. 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