Assessment of Groundwater Potential in Kuje Area Council Using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

Abstract

Over-exploitation of groundwater over the years has imposed immense pressure on the global groundwater resources. As demand of potable water increases across the globe for human consumption, agriculture and industrial uses, the need to evaluate the groundwater potential and productivity of aquifers also increases. The study therefore involves assessment of groundwater potential Zones using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis technique in Kuje Local Government Area of FCT. The Data used for this study includes remotely sensed data like Landsat 8 (OLI) image of kuje and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission Digital Elevation Model (SRTM DEM); conventional maps (soil map of the study area), software used include ArcGIS 10.5, Erdas Imagine 2015. Several prepared thematic layers, including geology, elevation, slope, lineament density, land use land cover (LULC), drainage density and soil type, were assigned with a weight, depending on their influence on groundwater potential. Normalization concerned with relative contribution is applied in this study using the AHP method. Vertical electrical sounding has been conducted on different points to locate water bearing formations/fracture zones. The groundwater potential zone map thus obtained have been categorized into five zones; very high, high, moderate, low and very low. The study reveals that about 34% of the area is covered under moderate groundwater potential zone. The low and high groundwater potential zones are observed in 23% and 20% respectively. Area under very high and very low potential zones are recorded in 8% and 14% respectively. This shows that majority of the study area has moderate groundwater potential.The results of the study are useful for the information planner and local authorities for the assessment, planning, management and administration of groundwater resources in the Kuje Local Government Area of FCT