Remote sensing-based groundwater potential evaluation in a fractured-bedrock mountainous area

Abstract

Assessing the capacity of groundwater is essential for efficient water management. Regrettably, evaluating the potential of groundwater in regions with limited data accessibility, particularly in mountainous regions, presents significant challenges. In the Nan basin of Thailand, where there is a scarcity of groundwater well data, we utilized remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques for evaluating and determining the potential of groundwater resources. The analysis included seven hydrological factors, including elevation, drainage density, lineament density, land use and land cover, slope, soil moisture, and geology. The quantification of groundwater potential was conducted by the utilization of linear combination overlays, employing weights derived from two distinct methodologies: the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and the frequency ratio (FR). Interestingly, it is noteworthy that both the FR and AHP approaches demonstrated a very comparable range of accuracy levels (0.89–1.00) when subjected to cross-validation using field data pertaining to groundwater levels. Although the FR technique has shown efficacy in situations when data is well-distributed, it displayed constraints in regions with less data, which could potentially result in misinterpretations. On the other hand, the AHP provided a more accurate assessment of the potential of groundwater by taking into account the relative importance of the criteria throughout the full geographical scope of the study. Moreover, the AHP has demonstrated its significance in the prioritization of parameters within the context of water resource management. This research contributes to the development of sustainable strategies for managing groundwater resources.

Keywords

• groundwater potential evaluation
• fractured rock
• wells lacking
• analytical hierarchy process
• frequency ratio
• groundwater management