Exploring groundwater recharge potential zones mapping in the northern upper Boussellam region: a novel approach integrating TDS levels

Abstract Groundwater is a vital resource, especially in semi-arid regions where water scarcity poses a major challenge. The northern upper Boussellam region, with its unique hydrogeological conditions, requires effective groundwater management for sustainability. This study introduces a novel approach for mapping groundwater recharge potential zones across a 1,100 $$\hbox {km}^2$$ km 2 area using geographic information systems, the analytic hierarchy process, total dissolved solids levels, and the receiver operating characteristic curve. The study incorporates the precipitation data from NASA LaRC POWER to address the spatial and temporal limitations of local meteorological data and enhance model performance. The results revealed a clear spatial distribution of recharge potential, with a maximum of 8.66 observed in the northern mountainous areas and a gradual decrease toward the southern region. A key innovation of this study is the use of total dissolved solids levels for model validation, revealing a strong relationship with recharge dynamics. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis yielded an area under the curve of 0.835, indicating high model reliability. The approach incorporates easily accessible data, including NASA LaRC POWER, the digital elevation model, Landsat imagery, and total dissolved solids, offering a replicable and adaptable framework, particularly useful in regions with limited hydrogeological data. These findings provide valuable insights into groundwater recharge processes and highlight the importance of total dissolved solids as a practical tool for model validation. The study advances the identification and spatial distribution of groundwater recharge zones, providing a foundation for more effective water resource management and sustainable resource planning in semi-arid regions facing similar challenges.