Integration of Hydrogeological Factors for Identification of Groundwater Potential Zones Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques for Gadwal Basin, Telangana State

Abstract

Remote sensing data can be used as a reconnaissance and features identification tool for identifying surface and sub-surface water potential zone. The present study has been carried out to evaluate the potential zones for groundwater targeting using an integrated remote sensing data, Survey of India (SOI) topographical sheets and field verification. Four features (geomorphologic units, slope, drainage density and lineaments density) that influence groundwater occurrence were extracted and integrated to evaluate the hydro geomorphological characteristics of the study area and demarcate the groundwater potential zones. Thematic maps of the extracted features were prepared and integrated through geography information system (GIS) environment. The groundwater potential map was prepared by overlaying the thematic layers. Weightage percentages were assigned to the different parameters according to their relative importance to groundwater potentiality. The integrated map of the area shows different zones of groundwater prospects, viz. Good (45% of the area), Moderate (16% of the area), while poor made up of (33% of the area) and water body (6% of the area).