Mapping groundwater potential zones using GIS, remote sensing and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in Pader and Kitgum Districts, Uganda

A geospatial study in northern Uganda mapped 67.24% of Kitgum District as having very low to low groundwater potential, while 85.5% of Pader District was classified as high to very high potential. The findings, summarized in the study’s abstract, concern preliminary groundwater exploration across Kitgum and Pader districts in the Acholi subregion, where the researchers identified substantial differences between the two mapped areas.

The study integrated Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to generate a groundwater-potential map. Six thematic layers—rainfall, drainage density, slope, soil type, geology, and land use/land cover—were selected based on their reported hydrogeological influence and the availability of data. After standardization and assignment of normalized weights, the researchers used weighted-overlay analysis in ArcGIS Pro 3.1.0 to combine the layers. The resulting map divided the study area into five categories: very low, low, medium, high and very high groundwater potential.

Kitgum’s mapped area was described as predominantly having very low to low potential, with the abstract identifying higher drainage density and steeper slopes as constraints. Pader showed a contrasting modeled pattern: 85.5% of its area was placed in the high or very high categories, which the researchers associated with gentler slopes and higher rainfall that they said enhanced infiltration capacity. These are characteristics identified by the model and its AHP weighting framework, rather than direct measurements of groundwater volume at every mapped location.

For validation, the researchers compared the model with yield data from 18 existing boreholes. They reported a 75.0% alignment between model classifications and actual well performance and described this as confirming the model’s reliability at an acceptable level. The study is presented as a preliminary GIS-based assessment for data-scarce environments, and its map is intended as a scientific basis for more targeted groundwater exploration. The available evidence comes from the abstract of an open-access, peer-reviewed article shared in an early version subject to further editing; it does not provide the full model inputs, weighting values, detailed borehole results or an uncertainty analysis. The validation sample of 18 boreholes and the preliminary nature of the assessment also limit the precision with which the mapped zones can be interpreted.

Subject of Research: Preliminary GIS and AHP assessment of groundwater potential in Kitgum and Pader districts, Uganda

Article Title: Mapping groundwater potential zones using GIS, remote sensing and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in Pader and Kitgum Districts, Uganda

Article References: Dirie, A. A., Mohamed, A. A., & Kannapiran, A. (2026). Mapping groundwater potential zones using GIS, remote sensing and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) in Pader and Kitgum Districts, Uganda. Discover Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-04943-7

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43621-026-04943-7

Keywords: groundwater potential, Kitgum District, Pader District, Uganda, geographic information systems, remote sensing, analytical hierarchy process, weighted overlay analysis, borehole validation, water-resource mapping, Mapping, groundwater