Abstract
Despite its potential for drinking, domestic/non-domestic use, and agricultural development in Ethiopia, groundwater is underutilized. By employing a geospatial tools analytical hierarchy approach and statistical models, this study evaluated the potential groundwater zone of the Mensa River watershed in the Omo River Valley, Ethiopia. This study identified seven significant groundwater potential influencing parameters and mapped them based on remote sensing, field and secondary data: geology, lineament density, land use/land cover, slope, drainage density, soil type, and rainfall. Based on the significance of the seven thematic maps as judged by professional judgment and a review of the pertinent literature, weights were assigned to each in the AHP model. The weighted thematic factors were integrated to create a composite map of potential groundwater zones using a weighted linear combination approach. According to the results of the analytical hierarchy process models, 7% and 21% of the research region contain zones with very high and high groundwater potential, respectively. This zone consists of low drainage, high lineament, and medium trachyte rocks in the study area's central, western, and southern regions. An analysis of the spatial relationships between well/spring sites and seven groundwater conditioning parameters was conducted using a frequency ratio model. According to the frequency ratio model, 4% and 10% of the research area have very high and high groundwater potentials, primarily in the northern and northwest regions, with limited coverage in the centre. Using the area under-curve approach, the analytical hierarchy process and frequency ratio models identified likely groundwater zones with 70.5% and 60% accuracy. According to the sensitivity analysis results, groundwater’s potential relies mainly on LU/LC, precipitation, and soil type. The integrated approach of the present study's outcome may be helpful for hydrogeologists, planners, and administrators in the study area for managing groundwater resources sustainably.
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Genjula, W., Jothimani, M., Gunalan, J. et al. Applications of statistical and AHP models in groundwater potential map** in the Mensa river catchment, Omo river valley, Ethiopia. Model. Earth Syst. Environ. 9, 4057–4075 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-023-01765-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-023-01765-8