Harnessing geoinformatics and AHP techniques to assess the groundwater potential zones in Uttar Pradesh, India

Water is an essential source for our daily needs and occurs in groundwater or surface water. In the present climatic manifestation, their occurrence, usage, recharge, and future sustainability are indispensable for mankind, agriculture, industries and ecological environmental equilibrium. Integrated studies of RS (Remote Sensing) satellite data and GIS (Geographic Information System) applications effectively evaluate GPZ (Groundwater Potential Zones) and provide vitality to futuristic scenario development. The present study is aimed to delineate the GPZ of Uttar Pradesh using MCDM (Multi-Criteria Decision Making) and AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) taking seven parameters such as rainfall, geomorphology, LULC (Land Use-Land Cover), drainage density, slope, soils and lineament density along with field survey. Using the free web-based AHP, all parameters were assigned a weightage, and weightage overlay analysis (WOA) using ArcGIS was performed. The results identified a total of 8% area in the piedmont region under the excellent potential zone followed by 46% of area of the Ganga River left bank. At the same time, the southern part of Uttar Pradesh indicated good potential zones. Similarly, the intermediate zone (45%) along the Ganga River right bank and the southern zone of Uttar Pradesh demarcate fair potential zone. The poor potential zone (1%) is predicted in the southwestern part. These results were tested with the pre and post monsoon well water levels of the last 11 years (2010- 2021) which satisfies our findings of the AHP method. Hence, AHP is a new method for identifying GPZ maps that can be used to carry out extensive ground-based hydrological studies that aid in the identification of potential bore well/dug well locations.