Geospatial Application on Mapping Groundwater Potential Zones in Samsun, Türkiye

Groundwater is a vital resource for sustaining human life and ecosystems, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. However, its availability is highly dependent on various factors such as climate, topography, and soil characteristics. Understanding the distribution and potential of groundwater is crucial for effective management and sustainable use of this resource. In this study, an interdisciplinary approach combining analytical hierarchical process, multiple influencing factor analysis, and geospatial techniques was used to evaluate groundwater potential in Samsun, Türkiye.

The study area covers approximately 16,721km2 and is characterized by varying topography, soil types, and land use patterns. To determine the groundwater potential, we considered several influencing factors, including precipitation, slope, soil type, and drainage density. These factors were weighted using the analytical hierarchical process, which assigns values to each factor based on its relative importance in influencing groundwater potential. The multi-influencing factor analysis was then used to combine the weighted factors and generate a groundwater potential index, which was further classified into five zones: poor, moderate, high, very high, and extremely high. The results show that the central and southern parts of the study area have the highest groundwater potential zones, attributed to their abundant precipitation and brown forest. This method can be useful for identifying recharge zones and managing water resources in different climate conditions.