Delineation of groundwater potential zones using MIF and AHP models: A micro-level study on Suri Sadar Sub-Division, Birbhum District, West Bengal, India

Abstract

This study involves the demarcation of Groundwater Potential Zones (GWPZ), which has been produced by Multi-Influencing Factors (MIF) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with the aid of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS). Eleven influencing factors, viz.- aquifer thickness, geology, rainfall, lineament density, soil texture, slope, elevation, pond density, drainage density, NDVI, and land use and land cover were used to delineate GWPZ maps. GWPZ map prepared by the MIF technique classified into low, medium, and high, covering 44.05, 32.82, and 23.13% of the test area. Contrary to this, the GWPZ map obtained by the AHP technique classified into the same categories, low, medium, and high, covering 41.41, 34.32, and 24.28% of the test area. Using Kappa statistics, accuracy assessment of the GWPZ maps has been done for both the MIF technique and AHP technique with the agreement value of 0.754 and 0.702. In this study it has been found that groundwater potentiality is not satisfactory in the northwestern part of the test region. Therefore, to use it wisely, we may encourage the use of pond irrigation, river lifting, rain water harvesting.