Ascertainment of the most suitable water harvesting sites in a data-scarce region via an integrated PROMETHEE-II–AHP method in GIS environment

Abstract

Abstract People residing in arid and semi-arid regions face significant challenges because of water scarcity and floods. These challenges become more severe in downstream areas of hill torrents that experience highly unpredictable periods of droughts and floods due to highly variable rainfall. Constructing small dams in hill torrents to capture rainwater from watersheds, mitigate flash floods, and recharge artificial groundwater is one of the solutions to address these issues in South Punjab. However, the success of rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems depends on their technical design and suitable site selection. To identify appropriate sites for small dams for rainwater harvesting, a combination of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing (RS), and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) has been utilized in the catchment of the Vidore Hill Torrent, Punjab, Pakistan. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the use of RS and MCDA in developing a suitability map, in a data-scarce region that can be useful for hydrologists, decision-makers, and planners in quickly identifying areas with the highest potential for RWH. The model incorporated several factors, including slope, runoff depth, land use, soil texture, drainage density, and lineament density. Implementing this method could also support policy changes toward widespread adoption of RWH.