Prediction of groundwater quality indices using machine learning algorithms

Abstract

The present paper deals with performance evaluation of application of three machine learning algorithms such as Deep neural network (DNN), Gradient boosting machine (GBM) and Extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) to evaluate the ground water indices over a study area of Haryana state (India). To investigate the applicability of these models, two water quality indices, namely Entropy Water Quality Index (EWQI) and Water Quality Index (WQI) are employed in the present study. Analysis of results demonstrated that DNN has exhibited comparatively lower error values and it performed better in the prediction of both indices, i.e. EWQI and WQI. The values of Correlation Coefficient (CC = 0.989), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE = 0.037), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE = 0.995), Index of agreement (d = 0.999) for EWQI and CC = 0.975, RMSE = 0.055, NSE = 0.991, d = 0.998 for WQI have been obtained. From variable importance of input parameters, the Electrical conductivity (EC) was observed to be most significant and ‘pH’ was least significant parameter in predictions of EWQI and WQI using these three models. It is envisaged that the results of study can be used to righteously predict EWQI and WQI of groundwater to decide its potability.