Integrating geospatial and geophysical approaches to identify aquifer recharge zones in the Um-Rakuba basin, eastern Sudan

• Groundwater depletion in arid areas is driven by rapid population growth. • Integration of geological, geophysical, topographical, and soil data was employed. • Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) assists in achieving accurate and reliable outcomes. • Suitability map identifies three key zones with potential for aquifer recharge interventions. Groundwater recharge is a vital resource in eastern Sudan, where freshwater scarcity is an escalating concern due to climate change, population growth, and agricultural expansion. This study proposes an integrated framework to identify potential aquifer recharge zones in the Um-Rakuba basin. The proposed framework combines various data types including remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and vertical electrical sounding (VES) geology, lineaments, drainage density, land use/land cover, slope, soil type, and groundwater depth to evaluate the recharge zones. The relative scores of the integrated data produced by the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) were employed to map groundwater recharge zones. The resulting suitability map delineates three recharge zones: highly suitable (13.24%), moderately suitable (27.49%), and low suitability (59.27%). The model achieved a prediction accuracy of 80.7%, indicating strong reliability. Based on site-specific criteria, three intervention methods were recommended to enhance infiltration. These findings offer valuable spatial insights for decision-makers to mitigate aquifer depletion and improve groundwater security and sustainability in the region.