Integrated geospatial and AHP techniques for deciphering groundwater potential zones in Arasikere taluk, Hassan district, Karnataka, India

Abstract

Groundwater resources are facing significant pressure due to overexploitation and climate change. Comprehending the characteristics of these diminishing resources is very crucial for sustainable development and management, particularly given their varied distribution and temporal and spatial occurrence. The study region has a dry, semi-arid type of climate; farming is the predominant occupation, and residents heavily depend on groundwater resources because the availability of surface water is limited and rainfall patterns are irregular. This study uses an integrated approach that incorporates remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP), in order to assess groundwater potential zones in Arasikere Taluk, Hassan District. The twelve thematic layers—lithology, geomorphology, land use and land cover, lineament density, drainage density, rainfall, groundwater level, soil type, slope, curvature, roughness index, and topographic wetness index are used as the basis for the analysis. Each thematic layer weighted according to its characteristics and water-holding capacity to retain water. The groundwater potentiality index then calculated, incorporating the weighted overlay analysis to create a groundwater potentiality map. Five zones are identified by the results: very good (20.41%), good (11.12%), moderate (44.94%), poor (5.93%), and extremely Poor (11.81%) for groundwater potential. The results of this study will further guide future investigations and strategies for effective management and planning of groundwater development.