Groundwater Potential Mapping Using SWAT and GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

In several parts of the world, groundwater potential information gap limits the development and management of the resource. GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) plays an important role in this regard. This work presents the groundwater potential mapping in a data-scarce region of Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and GIS-based MCDA. SWAT was used to model the spatiotemporal variation of groundwater recharge. The calibration and validation results show the applicability of the model in the study area. The estimated monthly average recharge varies from 2.78–164 mm. The recharge, geomorphology, lithology, soil, land use/land-cover, and DEM derived topographic characteristics were analyzed using GIS-based MCDA to evaluate the groundwater potential. The result is classified into low, moderate, and high zones and validated using the wells and springs information available in the region. More than 61% of the area has moderate groundwater potential and less than 22% of the area has high groundwater potential.