Identification of Ground Water Potential Zones in Nanjangud Taluk Using GIS

Abstract It’s a paradoxical situation in many parts of India where despite receiving a decent amount of rainfall, water scarcity remains a significant issue. In hard-rock areas, where groundwater is a primary source of water, the thickness and accessibility of aquifers play a crucial role. Satellite images may identify a variety of ground features that could be indicators of the existence of groundwater; they are frequently employed in groundwater analysis. Analysing groundwater potential zones is crucial for sustainable water source management. In the case of Nanjangud Taluk in Mysuru District, Karnataka, India, it's significant to categorize the groundwater availability to better understand and manage this vital resource. The division into dissimilar classes (i.e., Excellent, very good, good, moderate, and poor) based on hydro-geomorphological conditions helps in prioritizing areas for intervention and resource allocation. Using Toposheets from the Survey of India as a base, various thematic maps such as slope, land-use, and drainage density are created using GIS software like ArcGIS. These thematic maps are then converted into raster data using the feature to raster converter tool. Once rasterized, each thematic map is assigned a fixed percentage of influence based on its importance in determining groundwater potential.