Groundwater Assessment Using MIF Technique in a Small Basin of Malwa Region, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

Water, a vital natural resource and essential component for all living organisms, exists in two primary forms: surface water and groundwater. Groundwater, a significant global resource, is unevenly distributed worldwide. Enhancing groundwater recharge is a fundamental hydrological parameter for assessing, managing, and modelling groundwater resources. However, determining recharge rates is a complex and challenging task, despite its crucial role in recharge assessments. The current study has been conducted in northwest part of Madhya Pradesh. The Neemuch and Mandsaur district comes under semi-arid zones and faces the problem of scarcity of water annually. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate groundwater potential zones using an integrated approach using geospatial tools. Various thematic parameters i.e., slope, rainfall, geology, drainage density lineaments, geomorphology and soil were considered for identifying evaluate potential zones. Thematic maps were generated using SRTM DEM, Sentinel-2 Imagery, and Survey of India (SOI) toposheets at a scale of 1:50000. The selected thematic factors were integrated for the determination of the groundwater potential of the study area, with appropriate weightage factors given to different themes by means of the multi-influencing factor (MIF) approach. This process was repeated for other layers, resulting in reclassified layers. These layers were then combined to delineate zones classified as “very good”, “good”, “moderate”, “poor”, and “very poor” for groundwater potential. The assessment of groundwater potential information using geospatial techniques can aid in identifying suitable locations for providing safe drinking water to rural populations. This comprehensive integrated approach of RS and GIS in assessing groundwater potentiality offers valuable insights for effective identification of suitable areas to meet the potable water needs of rural communities.