Mapping groundwater potential zones for sustainable development using multi-criteria decision making and geospatial analysis in the Borkena River Basin Ethiopia

Abstract This study identifies groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) in the Borkena watershed, Ethiopia, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Ten critical parameters elevation, slope, drainage density, land use/land cover (LULC), rainfall, soil type, aspect, curvature, lineament density, and geology were integrated to produce a GWPZ map. The results show that areas with slopes between 0° and 6.3°, elevations below 1500 m, and specific soil and lithological characteristics exhibit high groundwater potential, covering approximately 340 km2. Additionally, 453 km2 and 867 km2 were identified as moderate and medium potential zones, respectively. Most existing studies focus on the technical and spatial aspects of delineating potential zones without explicitly addressing how these findings contribute to broader sustainability goals, particularly in the context of long-term water security, climate resilience, and socioeconomic development. This gap is significant given that effective groundwater management directly supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 13 (Climate Action) But, This study underscores the effectiveness of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) and geospatial technologies in groundwater resource assessment and supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), by informing sustainable water resource planning and management.