Declination of Groundwater Potential Zones of Nashik, Maharashtra Using Geographic Information System With Analytic Hierarchy Process-Fuzzy Techniques

Madhusudhan M. Reddy, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Sandip Institute of Engineering and Management, Nashik, Maharashtra, India. 422213Follow
Bhogayya G. Naidu, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Vignana Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. 501301
Bharat N. Mulay, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Sandip Institute of Engineering and Management, Nashik, Maharashtra, India.
Ramanjaneyulu B, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, CVR College of Engineering, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. 501510
Ravi K. Kumar, Associate Professor, Department of ECE, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. 522302
Mirzi L. Betasolo, Professor, School of Civil Engineering, Papua New Guinea University of Technology, Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea.411
Praveen U. Goud, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Guru Nanak Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. 501506
Snehal N. Chaudhari, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, K. K. Wagh Institute of Engineering Education and Research, Nashik, Maharashtra, India. 422003

Corresponding Author

Madhusudhan M. Reddy

Subject Area

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Groundwater is a critical resource for agriculture and domestic use in the semi-arid region of Nashik District, Maharashtra, where overexploitation and erratic climatic conditions have led to declining groundwater availability. This study integrates Geographic Information System (GIS) with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy-AHP techniques to delineate groundwater potential zones (GWPZs) and identify suitable sites for artificial recharge. A total of ten thematic layers drainage density, rainfall, geomorphology, elevation, distance from river, geology, slope, land use/land cover, topographic wetness index (TWI), and curvature were derived from SRTM DEM, Landsat-8, and IMD datasets, representing key controls on groundwater recharge, infiltration, and subsurface flow. Weighted overlay analysis was performed using AHP and Fuzzy-AHP in a GIS environment. The Fuzzy-AHP model classified the area into high (27.12%), moderate (66.81%), and low (6.07%) groundwater potential zones, while AHP classified high (21.88%), moderate (69.21%), and low (8.91%). Validation using receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROC-AUC) yielded prediction accuracies of 0.689 (AHP) and 0.731 (Fuzzy-AHP), indicating improved performance of the fuzzy approach. Additionally, 125 suitable artificial recharge locations were identified through integration of lineament density and drainage network, including 24 in high, 89 in moderate, and 12 in low suitability zones, predominantly distributed across key regions such as Nashik city, Sinnar, Niphad, Dindori, and Igatpuri. The study provides a reliable decision-support framework for sustainable groundwater management and artificial recharge planning in Nashik district.

Keywords

Groundwater potential zones, GIS, AHP, Fuzzy-AHP, Drainage density, Topographic Wetness Index, Nashik district

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Reddy, Madhusudhan M.; Naidu, Bhogayya G.; Mulay, Bharat N.; B, Ramanjaneyulu; Kumar, Ravi K.; Betasolo, Mirzi L.; Goud, Praveen U.; and Chaudhari, Snehal N. (2026) "Declination of Groundwater Potential Zones of Nashik, Maharashtra Using Geographic Information System With Analytic Hierarchy Process-Fuzzy Techniques," Mansoura Engineering Journal: Vol. 51 : Iss. 2 , Article 19.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.58491/2735-4202.3436

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