An integrated geospatial multi-influencing factor approach to delineate and identify groundwater potential zones in Kabul Province, Afghanistan

Abstract

This study evaluated the spatial distribution of groundwater potential zones in Kabul Province, Afghanistan using the geospatial multi-influencing factor approach. The influencing parameters employed for the assessment of groundwater potential zones were land slope, geology, soil type, land use/land cover, lineament density, rainfall, and drainage density. The subclasses within each influencing parameter were subdivided based on their influence on groundwater potential as major, minor, and no effect, and were subsequently assigned a score value. The combined score value of these parameters was used for calculating their relative weights. The delineated groundwater potential zones were classified in four groups, i.e., poor, moderate, good, and very good. The study results revealed that zones with a very good groundwater potential covered an area of 355 km2 (2% of the total area), good 1524 km2 (20%), moderate 2251 km2 (73%), and poor 477 km2 (5%). The study concluded that the geospatial-assisted multi-influencing factor approach was very useful and efficient technique for the assessment of groundwater potential zones and can be effectively employed to enhance the conceptual understanding of groundwater resources of Kabul Basin, Afghanistan.