Assessment of Groundwater Recharge Potential Using Integrated GIS, Remote Sensing, and Magnetotelluric Data in Banda Aceh-Indrapuri, Aceh Besar, Indonesia
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Groundwater recharge potential varies across tropical regions, emphasizing the importance of understanding spatial heterogeneity for effective management. This study evaluates groundwater recharge potential in the Banda Aceh-Indrapuri region of northern Sumatra using an integrated geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing (RS), and magnetotelluric (MT) approach. The recharge potential index was derived through a GIS-RS-based multicriteria spatial framework incorporating lithology, land use and land cover, lineament density, drainage density, and slope gradient, aggregated into a 1 × 1 km groundwater index grid. The resulting recharge index ranges from 23.17 to 55.47 (mean = 39.55; standard deviation (SD) = 6.75) and is classified into five categories from Poor to Very Good. Good and Very Good zones collectively occupy 47.04% of the study area, mainly associated with lowland sedimentary environments and structurally controlled areas. Recognizing these links enhances regional groundwater management strategies. Independent shallow MT resistivity models (0–300 m depth) reveal that higher recharge index values align with lower subsurface resistivity. A negative Spearman rank correlation (ρ ≈ −0.80; n = 4) demonstrates the effectiveness of combining geophysical and geospatial methods. This integrated approach offers a robust, physically grounded framework for regional groundwater recharge assessment in complex tropical hydrogeological settings, supporting informed decision-making.
Source: Research Square
Institution: Universitas Syiah Kuala
Language: English
Subfield: Environmental Engineering
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204934645