Abstract:
Identification of GWPZs is essential for sustainable groundwater management
in the BRB. This study aim to delineate GWPZs in the BRB by integrating GIS and
AHP. Eight thematic layers namely geomorphology, geology, land use/land cover, soil,
slope, drainage density, lineament density and rainfall were selected based on their
influence on groundwater recharge and occurrence. A weighted overlay analysis was
performed in the GIS environment to generate the groundwater potential index map and
it was reclassified into five categories; very poor, poor, moderate, high and very high
groundwater potential zones. Validation was carried out by overlaying observation well
locations. Furthermore, to evaluate the influence of rainfall variability, additional
analyses were conducted under extreme rainfall conditions minimum non-zero annual
rainfall and maximum annual rainfall while keeping other thematic layers constant. The
study highlights the spatial distribution of groundwater potential and emphasizes the
significant role of rainfall in groundwater recharge dynamics in BRB.
