Identification of potential zones for water detention reservoirs in a semi-arid environment: a sustainability perspective

ABSTRACT Global water scarcity has been exacerbated by climate change. Identifying potential zones for water detention reservoirs (WDRs) in arid and/or semi-arid areas is essential for the sustainable planning and management of these structures. The current study aims to employ the soil conservation service-curve number (SCS-CN), revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE), and remote sensing (RS) approaches integrated with the geospatial-based principal component analysis (PCA) and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) to determine the water detention reservoir potential zones (WDRPZs) in Uganda's Nakasongola cattle belt district. The SCS-CN approach facilitated the estimation of runoff coefficient (RC), while the RUSLE approach was employed to establish potential erosion extents. The research's findings are related to the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) through the development of a sustainable WDR implementation plan. Results indicated that 11.89, 38.31, and 49.80% of the study area represented high, moderate, and low potential for WDRs, respectively. The generated WDRPZ map could reliably support water engineers, government agencies, and other stakeholders in making informed decisions. Implementation of the SDG-based WDR plan would support sustainable planning, management, and utilization of water resources globally, especially in water-stressed areas, hence realizing several SDG targets including 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 3.2, 4.2, 4.7, 6.1, and 6.2.