Potential Mapping Groundwater Resources by Using an Integrated Approach AHP and Fuzzy Topsis ,Case Study: Silakhor Plain

Groundwater is recognized as one of the most important and reliable sources of water supply all around the world. However, population growth and reducing the volume of surface water reserves have led to the overexploitation of groundwater and groundwater resource depletion over the world. Therefore, exploration and exploitation of groundwater resources require a thorough understanding of geology, hydrogeology, and geomorphology in any area. With the advancement of remote sensing science and the use of satellite imagery in various fields, costs have been reduced and the time required to explore various sources including groundwater has been reduced. Nowadays, using fuzzy decision-making methods, it is no longer necessary to use only the financial equivalent of social and environmental criteria in choosing the best alternatives, but also to use different quantitative and qualitative criteria in prioritizing and selecting the best options and criteria in water resources management. In this study, eleven thematic layers, including lithology, precipitation, vegetation cover, density and distance from the fault, elevation, slope, temperature, land use and density, and distance from drainages to potential detection sources of groundwater used Silakhor plain.