Delineation of groundwater potential zones in Kotagarh block of Kandhamal District, Odisha through geospatial techniques

Abstract

The integrative approach of remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) has been a very useful tool for the delineation of groundwater potential zones in any terrain. Various natural factors such as lithology, geomorphology, land use land cover, slope, drainage density, lineament density, etc. control the groundwater recharge and storage. Individual thematic layers have been developed through GIS assigning proper weightage based on storage capacity. The groundwater potential zones in the study region are divided into three classes such as poor, good, and exceptional. The aforesaid methodology has been applied in the selected part of Kotagarh Block of Kandhamal District, Odisha to delineate the possible groundwater potential zones. The present study revealed that the Kotagarh region being a rugged topography is good for groundwater occurrence and storage.