Groundwater recharge potential mapping using GIS-AHP for sustainable water management in the Chohal and Damsal Dam command areas, Punjab, India

ABSTRACT Groundwater is a vital resource in the Shivalik foothills of Punjab, where seasonal rainfall variability, steep slopes, and limited natural storage restrict water availability. This study delineated groundwater recharge potential zones in the command areas of the Chohal and Damsal dams, Hoshiarpur district, Punjab, India, using geospatial techniques integrated with the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Eight thematic layers, namely, geology, geomorphology, slope, soil, land use/land cover, rainfall, drainage density, and lineament density, were generated from satellite data, field maps, and secondary sources and integrated through weighted overlay analysis in ArcGIS. AHP-based pairwise comparisons identified geology, geomorphology, and rainfall as the dominant factors influencing recharge, followed by soil and slope. The consistency ratio (CR = 0.0113) indicated satisfactory reliability of the assigned weights. Recharge potential was categorized into five classes: very poor, poor, moderate, good, and very good. In the Chohal command area, good and very good zones covered 37.79 and 26.78% of the area, respectively, while in Damsal, these classes occupied 39.77 and 31.12%. Poor and very poor zones together accounted for less than 11% of both areas. The findings support site-specific recharge interventions and sustainable groundwater management in the Kandi region of Punjab.