Identifying groundwater recharge potential zone using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in the semi-arid Shinile watershed, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract Surface and groundwater are priceless resources not consistently concentrated both spatially and temporally. Groundwater is the most valuable resource and dynamic and is not distributed equally. Analytical hierarchy processes (AHP) were used in Shinile Watershed, Eastern Ethiopia to identify high-potential groundwater recharge zones. The amount of groundwater in a particular location depends on topography, lithology, geological structure, depth of weathering, slope, drainage pattern, land use land cover (LULC), and rainfall patterns. Numerous themes are covered in the potentiality mapping according to their relative relevance, including geology, slope gradient, LULC, soil texture, rainfall, lineament density, drainage density, groundwater fluctuation, etc. The weights of various themes have been determined using the AHP method, and then overlay analysis in the geospatial context has been completed. According to the investigation, the groundwater recharge potential zone has five levels: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The validation results using existing borehole sites demonstrate that the applied approach produces extremely dense data that can support long-term planning and sustainable groundwater resource utilization in a region with scarce water resources. This study guides effectively incorporating acceptable research findings into national policy and decision-making processes to dramatically improve groundwater supplies' sustainability in the study area.