Prediction of susceptible areas for groundwater recharge based on maximum entropy model

Various reasons of surface water resources scarcity, and consequently, the excessive removal of groundwater resources has posed a serious threat to these resources. Reduction of groundwater surface, land subsidence and Sinkholes, are the harmful effects of large-scale exploitation and the lower recharge of groundwater resources which become a social challenge. Therefore, the sustainable management of these water resources is a vital necessity. Storage and recharge of groundwater aquifers is a potential solution to achieve future water supply goals. In this paper, the potential of infiltration areas to recharge groundwater was investigated by using the maximum entropy model (MaxENT). The Jackknife test was used to determine the most effective factors on ground water supply. Based on Jackknife graph, soil texture and lithology factors were the most important factors influencing the prediction of areas with potential infiltration. The map of the maximum entropy model was classified to four classes with low, medium, high and very high permeability. The greatest potential was observed in the middle part of the watershed, which is the plains. Areas with low slope gradient, sandy soil texture with quaternary sediments showed the highest potential. Study area included 0.02 % very high recharge potential, 3.1 %, 0.7 % and 96.18% with high, moderate and low recharge potential, respectively. The precision of prediction of the final map of the model results was evaluated using some indices with good to excellent grade. According to the results, the plain areas of the Marboreh watershed are suitable to groundwater recharge.