MACHINE LEARNING BASED PREDICTION OF HYDROGEOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL INDEX USING GEOSPATIAL AND BOREHOLE DATA

Abstract: Groundwater is a critical natural resource for domestic consumption, agricultural production, industrial development, and ecological sustainability. Accurate prediction of hydrogeological parameters and groundwater potential is essential for sustainable groundwater management, particularly in regions experiencing irregular rainfall, increasing water demand, and declining groundwater levels. This research paper presents a machine learning-based framework for predicting hydrogeological parameters and developing a Groundwater Potential Index (GWPI) by integrating geospatial datasets with borehole records. The proposed approach combines terrain characteristics, geological formations, soil properties, land use and land cover, drainage density, rainfall, slope, and remotely sensed indices with borehole-derived information, including water-table depth, aquifer thickness, lithology, and well yield. Machine learning algorithms such as Random Forest, Support Vector Regression, Gradient Boosting, and Artificial Neural Networks can be employed to estimate hydrogeological variables and identify areas with different groundwater potential levels. The predicted parameters are integrated within a geospatial framework to generate a spatially distributed groundwater potential index. Model performance can be assessed using the coefficient of determination (\(R^2\)), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE). The proposed framework offers a reproducible and scalable approach for groundwater exploration, borehole siting, and regional water-resource planning. Since no study-area dataset or model outputs have been provided, the paper presents a methodological framework rather than claiming experimentally validated results. Keywords: Machine Learning, Groundwater Potential Index, Hydrogeological Parameters, Geospatial Analysis, Borehole Data, Random Forest, Remote Sensing, Groundwater Management.