ABSTRACT
Presently, scientific principles and modern techniques provide quantitative assessment for the determination of sustainable management and conservation of groundwater resources. In this research, groundwater prospect zones (GPZ) are delineated using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques on the geographic information services (GIS) platform in Bilaspur district (Chhattisgarh). The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is used to define the weights of prospective aspects and their sub-classes for the identification of GPZ. These weights are assigned in a linear combination to attain five separate GPZ in Bilaspur district: “very good,” “good,” “moderate,” “poor,” and “very poor.” The very good GWP covers 32.98% and is identified in the north and small pockets of the east of the district. The poor GWP is identified in the south and southeast of the district. The central and west parts of the district show moderate GWP. The chapter reveals that the approach used provides reliable outcomes that can enable decision-makers to establish an efficient management plan for the sustainable development of groundwater.
