Unlocking Hidden Water Resources: Mapping Groundwater Potential Zones using GIS and Remote Sensing in Kerala, India

The study describes a case study from an ecologically fragile region of Kerala, India, in which GIS and remote sensing techniques were used to identify groundwater potential zones (GWPZ). The study area has been adversely affected by pollution from various sources, and residents have become reliant on groundwater for their drinking water needs. Here, the Weighted Index Overlay Analysis method was used to identify the potential groundwater zones to assign ranking values to different classes of individual thematic maps based on their mediating and moderating influence on groundwater potentiality. Twelve thematic layers were used. The results of the GWPZ were validated by overlaying samples on the potential zones in the GIS environment. The study emphasizes the importance of GWPZ mapping for planning new abstraction well locations to meet increasing water demand and improve the awareness of groundwater availability for sustainable development.