INVESTIGATION OF GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL UTILIZING GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES IN OWERRI, NIGERIA

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Abstract

This study used geospatial approaches to examine the potential of groundwater within the study area. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used combining various parameters including Rainfall (39.5%), Geology (23.5%), Slope (12.5%), Drainage Density (8.0%), LULC (6.1%), Lineament Density (5.4%), and Soil Type (5.0%) for an integrated geospatial analysis to assess the potential for groundwater in the study area. Pairwise comparisons were used to assess the relative importance of each parameter. AHP determined these weights after the pairwise matrices were completed. These weights show the relative importance of the themes when assessing the study area's potential for applications such as land-use planning or natural resource management. The AHP technique allows for the systematic evaluation and ranking of alternatives based on a variety of criteria. A groundwater potential index (GPI) map was created by combining all of these thematic maps and classifying the research area into three zones: poor (0.001 %), fair (41.092 %) good (58.686 %), and excellent (0.261 %) groundwater potential areas. The findings showed significant groundwater potential in regions with higher lineament density, low to average slope, and suitable land use and land cover. The weighted overlay strategy was reliable, according to the consistency ratio (CR) analysis of 0.043884. This work shows the importance of an integrated RS and GIS analysis for determining groundwater potential. The results help identify locations with higher groundwater potential and enable sustainable use of groundwater resources.