Optimum selection of pumping wells using TOPSIS multi-criteria localization model

Groundwater depletion in arid regions requires reliable approaches for prioritising wells under competing hydrogeological, environmental, and economic constraints. This study develops a Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution-based multi-criteria decision making framework to prioritise five existing observation wells for potential conversion into operational pumping wells in the water-stressed Yazd-Ardakan Plain, Iran. Nine criteria representing aquifer properties, groundwater conditions, well construction, spatial interactions, and economic factors were integrated, including hydraulic conductivity (K), groundwater level, aquifer sediment texture, and geological factors such as distance and density of neighbouring wells, drilling cost, and borehole screen quality, in addition to hydraulic gradient and bedrock slope to better represent regional hydrogeological and hydro-geomorphological conditions. Five candidate wells were evaluated using expert-derived weights and field-based data. The resulting ranking was Wells No. 5, 1, 2, 4, and 3, with Well No. 5 achieving the highest relative closeness coefficient (0.616). This result indicates the highest relative preference among the evaluated alternatives rather than independently validated pumping performance. By integrating hydrogeological, spatial, and economic criteria, the proposed model provides a transparent and practical decision-support tool for groundwater resource planning in arid regions, facilitating cost-effective and sustainable well placement.