Delineation of groundwater potential zones using RS, GIS and AHP Fuzzy techniques (case study: Khorramabad basin)

Given that the amount of surface water resources in many areas of Iran is negligible, groundwater is the most appropriate and only source for supplying the water in these areas. Currently, Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) are considered as one of the most powerful and affordable tools for exploration of groundwater. This study with the aim of identification of the high potential zones for groundwater exploitation in the Khorramabad basin is used the RS, GIS, AHP Fuzzy techniques and Expert Choice software. For this purpose, using the Satellite images of the Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), field surveys, and the geological information such as hydrology, topography, lithology, elevation, slope, drainage density, fault density, vegetation cover, alluvial thickness, and rainfall were prepared and weighed. By applying the calculated weight of each criterion and using the fuzzy hierarchical overlapping method, the final map showing groundwater potential zones was provided. The results show that 4.5 and 9.4 percent of area are categorized in the no potential and high potential zones for groundwater exploitation, respectively. The areas with high potential for groundwater exploration are mainly located in the limestone and quaternary conglomerate formations.