Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators
Abstract Groundwater is one of the world’s most essential and valuable natural resources, important to a country’s growth development; regions like Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, face unique challenges from rapid urbanization and climate variability, highlighting the need for detailed assessments of ground...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SpringerOpen
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Applied Water Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-025-02580-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849234889602236416 |
|---|---|
| author | Usman Basharat Wenjing Zhang Arshad Abbasi Sehrish Mahroof Abrar Niaz Shoukat Husain Khan |
| author_facet | Usman Basharat Wenjing Zhang Arshad Abbasi Sehrish Mahroof Abrar Niaz Shoukat Husain Khan |
| author_sort | Usman Basharat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Groundwater is one of the world’s most essential and valuable natural resources, important to a country’s growth development; regions like Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, face unique challenges from rapid urbanization and climate variability, highlighting the need for detailed assessments of groundwater potential and recharge dynamics. The complexity of groundwater systems complicates the identification of potential and recharge zones. This study focuses on these issues in the Bagh region, which has distinct hydrogeological characteristics and a critical need for sustainable groundwater management. This study used geomatics and hydrogeophysical technologies to delineate the groundwater potential zone in the study area. This multidisciplinary method improves the precision and reliability of groundwater potential zone mapping. Groundwater potential zones were delineated by integrating the thematic layers created from the digital elevation model, sentinel 2, geophysical investigations, pre-existing maps, and field survey data into a GIS context. Different parameters were determined, reclassified, and standardized to shared ranges with weights. These parameters included rainfall, geology, slope, lineament density, drainage density, aspect, Topographic wetness index, Normalized difference vegetation index, Normalized difference water index, elevation, slope aquifer resistivity, and lithology. The analytical hierarchy process evaluation method developed the groundwater potential zonation map. The index was divided into three zones: High (33%) are located in areas with favorable conditions such as high rainfall, low slope, and permeable lithology, making them ideal for groundwater extraction; moderate (46%) have intermediate conditions; and low (21%) are characterized by steep slopes, low rainfall, and less permeable lithology, indicating limited groundwater availability. The generated map was validated using data from 30 existing water wells and springs and 50 geophysical data points derived from vertical electrical sounding. The validation results demonstrated moderate to good agreement with the evidence obtained, as indicated by an area under curve value of 79.6%. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fd4eb7a1cc104f788c4075ab62437c99 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2190-5487 2190-5495 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Water Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-fd4eb7a1cc104f788c4075ab62437c992025-08-20T04:03:00ZengSpringerOpenApplied Water Science2190-54872190-54952025-08-0115812410.1007/s13201-025-02580-5Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicatorsUsman Basharat0Wenjing Zhang1Arshad Abbasi2Sehrish Mahroof3Abrar Niaz4Shoukat Husain Khan5Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment (Jilin University), Ministry of EducationKey Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment (Jilin University), Ministry of EducationCollege of New Energy and Environment, Jilin UniversityInstitute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal UniversityInstitute of Geology, University of Azad Jammu & KashmirSchool of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract Groundwater is one of the world’s most essential and valuable natural resources, important to a country’s growth development; regions like Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, face unique challenges from rapid urbanization and climate variability, highlighting the need for detailed assessments of groundwater potential and recharge dynamics. The complexity of groundwater systems complicates the identification of potential and recharge zones. This study focuses on these issues in the Bagh region, which has distinct hydrogeological characteristics and a critical need for sustainable groundwater management. This study used geomatics and hydrogeophysical technologies to delineate the groundwater potential zone in the study area. This multidisciplinary method improves the precision and reliability of groundwater potential zone mapping. Groundwater potential zones were delineated by integrating the thematic layers created from the digital elevation model, sentinel 2, geophysical investigations, pre-existing maps, and field survey data into a GIS context. Different parameters were determined, reclassified, and standardized to shared ranges with weights. These parameters included rainfall, geology, slope, lineament density, drainage density, aspect, Topographic wetness index, Normalized difference vegetation index, Normalized difference water index, elevation, slope aquifer resistivity, and lithology. The analytical hierarchy process evaluation method developed the groundwater potential zonation map. The index was divided into three zones: High (33%) are located in areas with favorable conditions such as high rainfall, low slope, and permeable lithology, making them ideal for groundwater extraction; moderate (46%) have intermediate conditions; and low (21%) are characterized by steep slopes, low rainfall, and less permeable lithology, indicating limited groundwater availability. The generated map was validated using data from 30 existing water wells and springs and 50 geophysical data points derived from vertical electrical sounding. The validation results demonstrated moderate to good agreement with the evidence obtained, as indicated by an area under curve value of 79.6%.https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-025-02580-5Geographic information system (GIS)Geophysical methodVertical electrical sounding (VES)Analytical hierarchy process (AHP)Groundwater potential zoneRemote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Usman Basharat Wenjing Zhang Arshad Abbasi Sehrish Mahroof Abrar Niaz Shoukat Husain Khan Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators Applied Water Science Geographic information system (GIS) Geophysical method Vertical electrical sounding (VES) Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) Groundwater potential zone Remote sensing |
| title | Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators |
| title_full | Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators |
| title_fullStr | Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators |
| title_short | Geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical-based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators |
| title_sort | geoinformatics and hydrogeophysical based delineation of groundwater potential zone through surface and subsurface indicators |
| topic | Geographic information system (GIS) Geophysical method Vertical electrical sounding (VES) Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) Groundwater potential zone Remote sensing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-025-02580-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT usmanbasharat geoinformaticsandhydrogeophysicalbaseddelineationofgroundwaterpotentialzonethroughsurfaceandsubsurfaceindicators AT wenjingzhang geoinformaticsandhydrogeophysicalbaseddelineationofgroundwaterpotentialzonethroughsurfaceandsubsurfaceindicators AT arshadabbasi geoinformaticsandhydrogeophysicalbaseddelineationofgroundwaterpotentialzonethroughsurfaceandsubsurfaceindicators AT sehrishmahroof geoinformaticsandhydrogeophysicalbaseddelineationofgroundwaterpotentialzonethroughsurfaceandsubsurfaceindicators AT abrarniaz geoinformaticsandhydrogeophysicalbaseddelineationofgroundwaterpotentialzonethroughsurfaceandsubsurfaceindicators AT shoukathusainkhan geoinformaticsandhydrogeophysicalbaseddelineationofgroundwaterpotentialzonethroughsurfaceandsubsurfaceindicators |