Assessment of groundwater potential zonation of Mahesh River basin Akola and Buldhana districts, Maharashtra, India using remote sensing and GIS techniques

The identification of suitable groundwater potential zonation was prepared using remote sensing and GIS techniques. Drainage pattern map were generated from satellite images using Arc GIS software. This study area was demarcated the groundwater exploration sites and artificial recharges structure with help of groundwater potential zonation map. The assessment of groundwater potential zonation was generated by integrated data like Slope, Hydro-geomorphic, land use/land cover, digital elevation maps with the help of remote sensing, GIS techniques and field verification. The Geomorphology, Land use and Land cover maps were prepared from Linear Self Imagine Scanning Sensor (LISS-III) satellite images with 23.5 m resolution using Arc GIS 10.3 software. The different kinds of thematic maps were integrated for assessment of groundwater potential zonation in basaltic hard rock terrain. These thematic maps of classes assigned weight ages using overlay analysis method. The groundwater potential zonation map was prepared using thematic maps for groundwater development. These thematic maps were assign numerical values like 1–10 using Arc GIS software 10.3. The groundwater potential zone classes has been shown like poor, moderate, good and excellent, which can be utilized for new sites of groundwater exploration and artificial recharges structures. The artificial recharge map generated from groundwater potential zonation using remote sensing and GIS technology. The groundwater potential zonation and artificial recharge maps may be useful for soil and water conservation project, watershed development programs and groundwater resources management in basaltic rock area. © 2017, Springer International Publishing AG.