Site selection for managed aquifer recharge in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan, using a multi-criteria decision analysis and geographic information system

Mohammad Salem Hussaini,Asadullah Farahmand,Sanjiv Neupane,Sangam Shrestha,Manuel Abrunhosa

doi:10.1007/s10040-021-02408-x

Abstract

While the success and sustainability of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) strongly depends on many characteristics of the site, it is necessary to integrate the site characteristics and develop suitability maps to indicate the most suitable locations. The objective of this study is to integrate geographic information system (GIS) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques to identify the most suitable areas for a MAR project in the Kabul city area, Afghanistan. Data for six effective criteria, including slope, drainage density, surface infiltration rate, unsaturated zone thickness, soil type and electrical conductivity, were collected and then a classification map was produced for each criterion in the GIS environment. By applying MCDA techniques, the weights of the effective criteria were obtained. A suitability map was generated from each technique separately based on a combination of all criteria weights and thematic layers. The result of the analytical network process (ANP) method was found to be more precise and reliable compared with that of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method. Based on the final suitability map produced from the ANP model, there is 3.7, 15.0, 37.4, 33.1 and 10.3% of the total area that is unsuitable, of low suitability, moderately suitable, suitable and very suitable for MAR application, respectively. As a final result of this work, seven sites have been prioritized based on land use. The integration of multi-criteria decision analysis and GIS is recognized as an effective method for the selection of managed aquifer recharge sites.

Highlights

Kabul is both the capital city and the largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of 4.5 million, and it is the fifth fastest-growing city in the world (Asian Development Bank 2015)
The raster thematic layer with a pixel size of 30 × 30 m was prepared in a geographic information system (GIS) environment; the land use factor was used to create the constraint layer on the suitability map
Among the different land uses, agriculture, barren land, and vacant plots are practicable for managed aquifer recharge (MAR)

Summary

Introduction

Kabul is both the capital city and the largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of 4.5 million, and it is the fifth fastest-growing city in the world (Asian Development Bank 2015). Many studies have been carried out over the past 35 years that have looked into the characteristics and performance of the Kabul aquifer system. This includes the studies from the Hydrogeol J. The application of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) often provides the cheapest form of new and safe water supply (Dillon 2005). An Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project is currently ongoing to conduct a pilot study on Kabul’s MAR. The project will run from 2017 to 2021 and will create pilot recharge systems to test the feasibility of various recharge options such as recharge basins, injection wells, contour banking, and trenches

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Conclusion