Application of Remote Sensing in the Hydrotectonic Analysis of Groundwaters, West of Yazd, Central Iran

The faults and fractures play crucial roles in conducting groundwater flow and providing high recharge zones for aquifers. The hard rock formations are exposed on the ground surface of the west of Yazd Province in Iran and build a reliable groundwater source for consumption. This study aims to provide a hydro-tectonic conceptual model of the region using remote sensing techniques and GIS. The geological map, groundwater resource data, geophysical reports, hydrogeological reports, and Landsat ETM satellite images are collected and evaluated by field visits. The lineaments densities of the area have been extracted and projected on various maps. The results demonstrate that the likelihood of groundwater flow is correlated positively with the region's main geological structures and groundwater resource availability. Finally, to conclude, the hydrotectonics model of the area consists of several distinctive and non-distinctive aquifers because of the presence of hydrogeological and tectonic barriers, water-conducting passages, and even neutral fractures.