The dual use of drainage characteristics in groundwater potential modelling using remote sensing and GIS: an example from Dengi Area, Northcentral Nigeria

The need for refining of the skills employed in groundwater exploration and management is being emphasized as population surges and the importance of water to meet these growing demands increases. Remote sensing and geographical information systems have routinely been used in targeting favourable zones for groundwater exploration thus necessitating the attempt to improve the reliability of this approach. While other factors like geology, elevation, slope, lineament density, contact proximity and soil remain constant (within the framework of the model), this work incorporates both drainage density and drainage proximity thematic layers into a single groundwater potential model by separating first-order streams from second- and third-order streams, respectively. The groundwater potential model obtained via this dual application yields more reliable results in comparison to field conditions than the model produced using either drainage density or drainage proximity alone. Consequently, this integrated application approach has proven extra usual and is thus encouraged.