Groundwater Recharge Potential Assessment in Azraq Basin, Jordan Using Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) - GIS and Geophysical Techniques

This research aimed to determine the optimal locations for artificial groundwater recharge in the central Azraq Basin using geophysical methods and geographic information sciences. The study identified the eight most important criteria affecting the selection of artificial groundwater recharge sites in the area. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process method, the study determined the weight of each criterion and established ratings based on available literature. GIS with Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis were used to select the most suitable sites for groundwater recharge, revealing that 5.7% of the study area has low suitability for groundwater recharge, 39.5% showed moderate, 46% showed high, while the remaining 8.8% of the study area showed very high suitability of groundwater recharge. The study employed the Electrical Resistivity Tomography geophysical survey method to verify the results. The ERT results showed that the groundwater level depth in the six examined sites was close to the subsurface level and ranged from 5m at ERT-2 (Basalt aquifer) to larger than 22m in ERT-4 (Rijam aquifer B4), indicating that these sites were suitable for groundwater recharge. ERT results also showed the presence of faulted layers and reveal the presence of favourable recharge zone. Overall, the study recommended that the area can be recognized as having a high potential for groundwater recharge, and projects should be developed accordingly. The research findings have important implications for managing and conserving water resources in arid regions. The study highlights the usefulness of geophysical methods and GIS in identifying and assessing suitable locations for artificial groundwater recharge. It also showed the importance of considering multiple criteria and using a structured decision-making approach in complex decision-making problems.