Groundwater potential mapping of Guwahati city using geoinformatics technique

Urbanization and ground water potential is interrelated feature in a landscape. With the help of powerful and high-speed computers, Geoinformatics technology comprising of RS (Remote Sensing), GIS (Geographic Information System) and GPS (Global Positioning System) are of great significance in identifying ground water potential. The aim of the present study is to delineate the ground water potential zone in Guwahati city. The thematic layers considered in present study are Geomorphology, Land slope, Land use, Drainage density, Soil and Surface water body which were prepared using the IRS LISS 4, LANDSAT imagery, Topographical sheet and some other conventional data. All these themes and their individual features were then assigned weights according to their relative importance in groundwater occurrence. GIS modeling technique was used to produce groundwater potential map. The thematic layers were generated finally integrated using ARC INFO software to yield a groundwater potential zone map of the study area. Thus, three different groundwater potential zones were identified, namely ‘Very high’, High’, ‘Moderate’ and ‘Low’.