Document Type : Original Research Paper
Authors
1 M.S.c., Department of Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan, Iran
Abstract
The water table in the Zanjanrood catchment has severely declined recently. Therefore, determination of the groundwater potential zoning map is of great importance for optimal management of water resources. Here, we used seven effective criteria including lithology, slope, drainage, lineament, rainfall, spring density and landuse to asses groundwater potential. The analytical hierarchical analysis process was used for weighting the criteria. Overlay analysis was implemented using TOPSIS model to prepare the groundwater potential map in four categories of priority including very-good, good, low and poor. In general, the very-good category corresponds with the first priority while the lowest potential of groundwater match with the fourth priority. The high-discharged production wells and the geoelectrical investigations (resistivity and induced polarization) were applied to verify the model. The spatial distribution of the high-discharge production wells has completely coincided with both the very-good and good priorities in the area. The results of resistivity and IP models also are in good agreement with those from the TOPSIS model. Overall, the results suggest there is no rich aquifer in mountains of the Zanjanrood catchment. Furthermore, the most important aquifer in the Zanjanrood catchment is located around the Zanjanrood River where a severe water table decline has occurred.
Keywords
- Zanjanrood catchment
- Assessment of groundwater potential
- Analytical hierarchical analysis process
- Topsis
- Geoelectric
Main Subjects
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