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Categorize Groundwater Potential Zone in Soft Rock Formation in Rib River Basin by Geospatial Technology: in the Case of South Gondar District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

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Abstract

This study is aimed at delineating the groundwater potential sites in the Rib watershed using Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), Analytical Hierarchy Processes (AHP), geographic information system (GIS), and remote sensing (RS). Those techniques were implemented to develop groundwater potential zone map with integrating different significant thematic parameters. Thematic layers of lithology, lineament density, drainage density, slope, and soil were used to prepare groundwater potential zones map as it assigned to each thematic layers. Those thematic maps were integrated by a weighted sum overlay analysis in Arc geographic information system tool (AGIS) to develop groundwater potential zones. The groundwater potential was (1) very high 48.25 km2 (1.23%), (2) high 1024.93 km2 (26.29%), (3) moderate, 2682.93 km2 (68.82%), and (4) poor, 141.81 km2 (3.63%). The groundwater potential map was validated using data of 35 pumping wells such as hydraulic conductivities and material transmitivity; the prediction was confirmed acceptable. Groundwater flow rate and its direction were described by the piezometric surface model as follows: high flow rate (26.83–34.33 m), moderate flow rate (19.32–26.82 m), poor flow rate (11.81–19.32 m), and extremely poor flow rate (4.3–11.81 m). It might conclude that the groundwater potential zone that was identified by MCDA is reliable in Arc GIS 10.4 and RS application.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 2 The role of thematic parameters for groundwater potentials in the study area

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Yihunie, D. Categorize Groundwater Potential Zone in Soft Rock Formation in Rib River Basin by Geospatial Technology: in the Case of South Gondar District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Water Conserv Sci Eng 8, 18 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41101-023-00193-0

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