GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making techniques and analytical hierarchical process for delineation of groundwater potential

The profound knowledge and management of groundwater resources is a prerequisite in order to ensure the sustainability of these resources. In this research, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) and analytical hierarchical process (AHP) method based on GIS were used to determine the groundwater potential recharge model of the Mornag plain (coastal area in North Tunisia). Influential eight factors were used in the groundwater recharge modeling: lithology, land use/land cover, hydrogeomorphology, elevation, rainfall, drainage density, lineament density, and soil. The influence of each factor was examined by the weighted linear combination method. The results reveal a very high to high groundwater recharge potential in the order of 20% of the total area. The validation of results by the histogram method showed that 41% of the total area corresponds to the moderate to very high recharge potential classes. The groundwater recharge potential model (GIS-MCDM-AHP) is useful in better management and planning of groundwater resources and implementation of wells and hydraulic structures in arid and semi-arid areas.