Effectiveness of basin morphometry, remote sensing, and applied geosciences on groundwater recharge potential mapping: a comparative study within a small watershed

A multidisciplinary approach using the integrated field of geosciences (e.g., geomorphology, geotectonics, geophysics, and hydrology) is established to conduct groundwater recharge potential mapping of the Kunur River Basin, India. The relative mean error (RME) calculation of the results of three applied techniques and water table data from twenty-four observation wells in the basin over the 2000–2010 period are presented. Nine subbasins were identified and ranked for the RME calculation, where the observation wells-based ranking was taken as standard order for comparison. A linear model has been developed using six factors (drainage density, surface slope, ruggedness index, lineament density, Bouguer gravity anomaly, and potential maximum water retention capacity) and a grid-wise weighted index. In a separate comparative approach, the sub-basin and grid-wise analyses have been conducted to identify the suitable spatial unit for watershed level hydrological modeling.