Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Department of Watershed Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Iran
2
Department of Watershed Engineering, Faculty of Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khorramabad, Iran
3
School of Energy Engineering and Sustainable Resources, College of Interdisciplinary Science and Technology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22069/ijerr.2025.23411.1491
Abstract
Iran’s semi-arid climate, combined with population growth and expanding agricultural and industrial activities, has heightened dependence on groundwater resources. This study identifies potential groundwater recharge zones in the Borujerd-Dorud Plain using a spatial multi-criteria approach integrating the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP). We analyzed key factors, including land use (derived from Sentinel-2 satellite imagery), precipitation, geology, and soil hydrology, to develop a recharge potential map. Fractal theory was applied to model recharge zones under varying rainfall return periods (2, 25, 100, and 200 years), enhancing spatial precision. Results indicate that precipitation, land use, geology, and soil hydrological characteristics are the most influential factors, particularly in the central and western basin areas, as high recharge zones. Validation against regional pumping rates confirmed these findings, as high recharge areas correlated with intensive groundwater extraction. This study presents a novel, replicable framework for groundwater recharge assessment in semi-arid regions, combining FAHP and fractal theory to optimize resource management. The results provide actionable insights for sustainable water strategies, particularly in rainfall-dependent recharge systems.
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