Identifying Areas to Apply Technological Solutions of Groundwater Exploitation and Utilization Using Spring in High Mountainous, Water-Scarce Areas of the Northern Vietnam

Huy Trieu Duc; Quyen Pham Ba; Phuc Hoang Dai; Tuan Pham Van

Huy Trieu Duc
Quyen Pham Ba
Phuc Hoang Dai
Tuan Pham Van

Keywords: AHP, GIS, groundwater, spring

Abstract

Groundwater exploitation through a spring is one of the common solutions for water extraction in the high mountainous and water scarce regions of Northern Vietnam. However, identifying areas where this exploitation solution can be applied for sustainable and long-term operation is a challenging issue that depends on water resources, extraction techniques, social aspects, environment, and the requirement for a large amount of data. In this study, a GIS approach was utilized to delineate the suitable areas for implementing the groundwater extraction through a spring technology in the high mountainous and of Northern Vietnam based on specific criteria. Six criteria were considered, including the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer, exploitable groundwater reserves, distance to water utilization points, distance to springs, terrain slope, and population distribution/density. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), proposed by Saaty (1980), was integrated to determine the areas suitable for implementing the groundwater extraction through a spring technology in the high mountainous and water-scarce areas of Northern Vietnam. The research results revealed that the areas suitable for implementing the groundwater exploitation through a leaky aquifer technology in the high mountainous and water scarce regions of Northern Vietnam are distributed sustainably and very sustainably in 1,094 communes, wards, and towns across 15 provinces in the study area, with a total area of 3,742 km² (accounting for 3.8% of the study area).

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