Land use hierarchical mapping for delineation of groundwater potential zones in the Ba river basin using satellite imagery and GIS technology

Abstract The evaluation of groundwater potential is crucial for the best use and replenishment of groundwater resources, as well as for the appropriate growth and administration of a region. To study groundwater potential, it is necessary to analyze the factors that directly affect this resource. In addition to the criteria that contribute to the formation of groundwater, such as rainfall, land cover, geology, slope, etc., land use types and their infiltration capacity are also the main factors affecting the groundwater prospect. In recent years, remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) have emerged as the most important technologies in the field of groundwater research, which aid in determining groundwater potential. This paper presents a method to generate the land use hierarchical map based on the level of impact on the formation of groundwater in the Ba river basin using GIS technology and remote sensing. According to the classification result, the three classes of groundwater potential zones including “low”, “moderate”, “high” occupy 1.51%, 77.43%, and 21.06% of the study area respectively. The findings can be validated with the actual groundwater level at some locations that are evenly distributed throughout the basin. The obtained results indicate that there is an agreement between groundwater potential levels at each actual location and those depicted on the land use hierarchical map. The methodology utilized in this study is reliable, accurate and can be used to generate hierarchical maps of additional parameters. This paper will be a useful document for groundwater potential zoning in the study area