Delineation of Groundwater Potential Using GIS, RS and AHP Techniques of the Chia Sur Sub-basin in Sulaymaniyah-Kirkuk, Northeastern Iraq

Abstract

Groundwater is one of the most important natural resources stored in geological formations. The current developments such as population growth and urbanization affect groundwater in most countries. The aim of the research is to identify groundwater potential. By using geographic information system and remote sensing data, eight factors such as geology, geomorphology, elevations, slope, drainage density, soil, and land use/land covers in addition to the weighted overlay; a groundwater potential map was created. The result was appearing of five zones from very low to very high of groundwater potential. The very low groundwater potential is found in the eastern and northwest parts; the very high groundwater potential is found in the center, northeast, and north parts of the Chia Sur sub-basin. The groundwater potential zones were considered high at the Chia Sur sub-basin like Pila Spi, Gercus, Bia-Hassan formations, valleys, high lineament, low elevations, and low drainage density.