Site selection for water harvesting ponds using spatial multi-criteria analysis in a region with fluctuating climate

The purpose of this research was to identify suitable sites for water harvesting ponds using spatial multi-criteria analysis (SMCA). In total, 12 spatial data-sets were used for this research, 14 criteria have been selected for defining a proper sink, and each of these criteria is converted into the common scale differently based on whether one is a constraint or a factor. The defined sinks were evaluated by nine constraints and five factors analysis, sequentially. At the end of the factor analysis, the proper sinks were divided into four classes, namely: unsuitable, marginally, moderately and highly suitable. Ground truth observation was carried at randomly selected 13 proper sinks. Overall accuracy of site selection for water harvesting ponds using SMCA was 92.3%. Due to the very different natural zones and fluctuating climate of Mongolia, spatial factors for SMCA were standardized instead of using interval divisions.