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Integrated GIS and remote sensing for mapping groundwater potentiality in the Tulul al Ashaqif, Northeast Jordan

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Abstract

Jordan with its limited water resources is currently classified as one of the four water-poor countries worldwide. This study was initiated to explore groundwater potential areas in Tulul al Ashaqif area, Jordan, by integrating remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and multicriteria evaluation techniques. Eight thematic layers were built in a GIS and assigned using multicriteria evaluation techniques suitable weights and ratings regarding their relative contribution in groundwater occurrence. These layers include lithology, geomorphology, lineaments density, drainage density, soil texture, rainfall, elevation, and slope. The final groundwater potentiality map generated by GIS consists of five groundwater potentiality classes: very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. The map showed that the study area is generally of moderate groundwater potentiality (76.35 %). The very high and high potential classes occupy 2.2 and 12.75 % of study area, respectively. The validity of results of this GIS-based model was carried out by superimposing existing hand dug wells on the final map. The single parameter sensitivity test was conducted to assess the influence of the assigned weights on the groundwater potential model, and new effective weights were derived. The resulted groundwater potentiality map showed that the area occupied by each of the groundwater potentiality classes has changed. However, the study area remains generally of moderate groundwater potentiality (70.93 % of the study area). The area occupied by the very high and high potential classes comprises 4.53 and 18.56 % of the study area, respectively.

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Acknowledgment

The authors are deeply grateful to Deanship of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies, Yarmouk University for funding this research and offering research facilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Geographic Information Systems, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Muheeb Awawdeh

  2. Faculty of Science and Arts, Jordan University of Science and Technology, 22110, Irbid, Jordan

    Mutewekil Obeidat

  3. Deparment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Yarmouk University, 21163, Irbid, Jordan

    Mohammad Al-Mohammad, Khaldoon Al-Qudah & Rasheed Jaradat

Authors
  1. Muheeb Awawdeh
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  2. Mutewekil Obeidat
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  3. Mohammad Al-Mohammad
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  4. Khaldoon Al-Qudah
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  5. Rasheed Jaradat
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Correspondence to Muheeb Awawdeh.

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Awawdeh, M., Obeidat, M., Al-Mohammad, M. et al. Integrated GIS and remote sensing for mapping groundwater potentiality in the Tulul al Ashaqif, Northeast Jordan. Arab J Geosci 7, 2377–2392 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-0964-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-0964-8

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