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Critical Watershed Prioritization through Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques and Geographical Information System Integration for Watershed Management

Author

Listed:
  • Sudipto Halder

    (School of Water Resources Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India)

  • Abhishek RoyChowdhury

    (Environmental Science and Natural Resources, School of Science, Navajo Technical University, Crownpoint, NM 87313, USA)

  • Sayanti Kar

    (Department of Environmental Science, Asutosh College, Kolkata 700026, India)

  • Debdas Ray

    (Department of Geology, Asutosh College, Kolkata 700026, India)

  • Gupinath Bhandari

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India)

Abstract

The Precambrian hard rock topography of the Manbhum-Singhbhum plateau, which is well known for its semi-arid climates prone to drought, is often seen in Purulia district in West Bengal, India. Despite the district’s middling groundwater capacity, 17 out of 20 blocks have exorbitant fluoride pollution in the groundwater that negatively impacts the health of local residents. Approximately 13% of the whole area suffers from severe erosion. It is evident that the river Kangsabati and its tributaries are not well fed by rainwater and thereby there is always a dearth of ground water. The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize integral watersheds in the Purulia area using Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The evaluation was carried out in the Bandu sub-watershed, which contains five micro watersheds: 2A2B5m, 2A2B5k, 2A2B5h, 2A2B5b, and 2A2B5j. The analysis considered five major factors: lithological properties, land use and land cover, soil erosion, groundwater recharge, and hydrogeomorphology. The weights of these criteria were determined by the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) model, which was then prioritized using the Techniques for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) technique. This study emphasized an integrated approach to assess watershed hazards and to establish rational conservation goals. The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) of India report was referred during data analysis. As a result of this study, the 2A2B5k watershed emerged as the most critical due to its susceptibility across the analyzed parameters. This thorough plan demonstrated the usefulness of identifying watershed threads and prioritizing conservation efforts.

Suggested Citation

  • Sudipto Halder & Abhishek RoyChowdhury & Sayanti Kar & Debdas Ray & Gupinath Bhandari, 2024. "Critical Watershed Prioritization through Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques and Geographical Information System Integration for Watershed Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-27, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:8:p:3467-:d:1379900
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Asish Saha & Palash Ghosh & Biswajit Mitra, 2018. "GIS Based Soil Erosion Estimation Using Rusle Model: A Case Study of Upper Kangsabati Watershed, West Bengal, India," International Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 13(5), pages 119-126, August.
    2. Tusar Kanti Hembram & Sunil Saha, 2020. "Prioritization of sub-watersheds for soil erosion based on morphometric attributes using fuzzy AHP and compound factor in Jainti River basin, Jharkhand, Eastern India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 1241-1268, February.
    3. Ashish Pandey & V. Chowdary & B. Mal, 2007. "Identification of critical erosion prone areas in the small agricultural watershed using USLE, GIS and remote sensing," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 21(4), pages 729-746, April.
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