Groundwater Potential Zone Mapping Using GIS and Remote Sensing: A Case of Teji River catchment, Southwest Shewa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract Groundwater represents a critical natural resource for humanity, particularly in areas with limited surface water availability. The present study was aimed to map the groundwater potential zones in the Teji River catchment using remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS). The catchment was selected due to its exposure to significant water stress driven by rapid population growth, agricultural expansion, and the broader impacts of global climate change. The parameters processed were on soil texture, drainage density, land-use and land-cover, rainfall, lithology, slope, topographic wetness index, and lineament density. The Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method was used. Each criterion was evaluated with AHP and mapped by GIS. The groundwater potential zones were categorized into four distinct classes based on their suitability: very good (12.24%), good (30.88%), moderate (36.05%), and poor (20.8%). The study confirmed that RS and GIS techniques offer enhanced accuracy in identifying groundwater potential zones. Validation results showed that approximately 81.25% of the classified groundwater boreholes corresponded accurately with the zones delineated on the generated groundwater potential map. Further validation utilizing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve gave an AUC of 0.83. The methodology, techniques, and results of the current investigation may be useful in evaluating the groundwater potential zones in similar terrains worldwide. Furthermore, the establishment of purposeful testing wells and field geophysical investigations in potential well-drilling locations is advised to enhance effective groundwater management possibilities. Graphical Abstract This graphical abstract illustrates the key processes and findings of a study on Groundwater Potential Zone Mapping using GIS and Remote Sensing, focusing on the Teji River catchment in Southwest Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. It highlights the methodology used to identify and describe potential groundwater zones within the study area. Moreover, the graphical abstract illustrates the use of AHP for multi-criteria decision-making and integration of thematic layers such as rainfall, LULC, Soil texture, topographic wetness index (TWI), lithology, drainage density, lineament density and slope for spatial analysis and classification. The abstract presents a novel approach for mapping and assessing groundwater potential, providing insights into sustainable water resource management.