The GIS and AHP-Based Identification and Improvement of Groundwater Recharge Zones in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65486/n3yyy549Keywords:
Groundwater recharge, Geographic Information System (GIS), Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), Kandahar ProvinceAbstract
Purpose
Groundwater is the principal source of water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses in Kandahar Province. Increasing groundwater abstraction, rapid urbanization, prolonged drought, and limited natural recharge have significantly stressed available groundwater resources. This study aimed to identify and map groundwater recharge potential zones using an integrated Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach to support sustainable groundwater management.
Methodology
Eight hydrogeological and environmental factors, including rainfall, slope, drainage density, soil texture, geology, land use/land cover (LULC), lineament density, and aspect, were selected based on their influence on groundwater recharge. Spatial datasets obtained from satellite imagery and secondary sources were processed in a GIS environment to generate thematic layers. The relative importance of each factor was determined using the AHP pairwise comparison method, and the resulting weights were integrated through weighted overlay analysis to produce a groundwater recharge potential map. The consistency of the AHP matrix was evaluated using the Consistency Ratio (CR).
Results
The integrated GIS–AHP framework successfully delineated groundwater recharge potential zones across Kandahar Province. The resulting recharge potential map classified the study area into four categories (low, moderate, high, and very high). Areas characterized by gentle slopes, permeable soils, Quaternary formations, low drainage density, and favorable land-use conditions exhibited the highest recharge potential. The very high and high recharge classes covered 18.2% and 26.7% of the province, respectively, and were concentrated mainly in the northern and central parts of Kandahar, whereas mountainous, desert, and urbanized areas generally exhibited lower recharge suitability. The acceptable consistency ratio (0.038) confirmed the reliability of the weighting process.
Practical Implications
The generated groundwater recharge potential map provides a scientific basis for groundwater exploration, artificial recharge planning, land-use management, and water resource conservation in Kandahar Province. The methodology can also be applied in other arid and semi-arid regions with similar hydrogeological conditions.
Originality
This study provides a province-scale GIS-based MCDA assessment of groundwater recharge potential in Kandahar Province by integrating multiple hydrogeological and environmental datasets within an Analytical Hierarchy Process framework. The developed approach provides a reproducible spatial decision-support tool for sustainable groundwater resource management in data-scarce environments.
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References
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