Geospatial and geo-electrical assessment of groundwater vulnerability and potential in parts of Cross River, Southern Nigeria

Abstract

Assessing groundwater vulnerability and potential is essential for sustainable management. This study evaluates these factors in southern Cross River, Nigeria, using geospatial and geo-electrical methods, including Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Remote Sensing (RS). Twenty VES surveys were performed, revealing aquifer resistivity from 5.12 to 506.00 Ω/m, thickness from 6.60 to 34.30 m, and depth from 18.60 to 68.00 m. Rainfall was the most significant factor (38 %) affecting groundwater potential, followed by geology (24 %), slope (13 %), drainage density (8 %), land use/cover (6 %), lineament density (5 %), and soil type (3 %). With a Consistency Ratio (CR) of 0.043884, data consistency was high. Groundwater potential zoning (GWPZ) maps categorized the area into low, moderate, good, and excellent zones, highlighting high potential in western areas with high lineament density and moderate slopes. This research demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating geospatial and geo-electrical techniques for groundwater assessment.