Assessing Dam Site Suitability Using an Integrated AHP and GIS Approach: A Case Study of the Purna Catchment in the Upper Tapi Basin, India †
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- (a)
- To investigate suitable zones for constructing a dam in the Purna sub-catchment located in the upper half of the Tapi basin;
- (b)
- To investigate and categorize geomorphological, geological, and meteorological factors and to determine their contribution to identifying the best sites for dam construction;
- (c)
- To create a DSSM using the AHP approach of decision-making followed by overlay analysis.
2. Study Area and Data Collection
3. Methodology
- Elevation (m): The optimal position of the dam is influenced by the digital elevation model (DEM) as it has an impact on water circulation and accumulation. Building a dam at low levels has been considered appropriate due to the increased likelihood of precipitation and groundwater accumulation at such a level. An ASTER DEM of 30 m resolution was considered, and the elevation ranged from 210 to 1169 m.
- Slope (degrees): Water velocity for both surface water and groundwater is influenced by the slope degree parameter, which suggests that the probability of water accumulation increases with decreasing slope. The slope map was generated using a DEM of 30 m resolution, and the values ranged from 0 to 66.08 degrees.
- Geology: The produced geology map consists of Aeolian sand dunes and loess deposits and Deccan Traps, which are vast volcanic structures primarily composed of basalt. Most of the study region is covered by the Deccan Traps, which can be more conducive to water accumulation in certain areas. Hard rock formations like granite are preferred for structural stability.
- Geomorphology: The geomorphology layer represents physical features such as concrete buildings, asphalt roads, and natural landforms, which were mapped as thematic layers. These layers were categorized into seven classes: urban areas, fan deposits, sand, mountains, vegetation, and high and low dunes. Alluvial plains are more suitable, while hills and valleys are less suitable.
- Fault Tectonics (km): From higher to lower sites, the streamflow is directed based on the primary fracture line. There should be a minimum of 100 m between tectonic fractures and faults in order to select a feasible dam location. Areas having faults should not be included when determining the appropriateness of a dam site. The strength of the dam foundation is directly impacted by faults and cracks.
- Precipitation (mm): The maximum discharge of a river occurs during periods of intense rainfall. Increased rainfall intensity results in elevated river water levels, hence augmented outflow. A map was created in ArcGIS by interpolating gridded data that were downloaded from IMD during a 30-year period, from 1992 to 2022, using the IDW tool. The quantity of rainfall in the present study ranged from 1067 mm in the north to 859 mm in the south region.
- Stream Order: Surface water availability is a function of stream order, and certain structures like check dams, which need to be erected in lower-order streams, are better suited to a certain drainage order. The Strahler technique is the most often utilized approach which idealizes the drainage network as a tree with robust roots and slender branches. ArcGIS’s hydrology toolkit was utilized to create a stream network utilizing flow accumulation and flow direction rasters. However, these two approaches differ in how they identify distinct branch levels. Higher stream orders are preferred as they indicate better runoff accumulation.
- Land Use and Land Cover (LULC): One of the most important factors is an area’s land cover, which reveals how the land is currently used and patterned as well as how important that use is in connection to the population and rate of population increase. Built-up areas are less permeable than water bodies, and land use and vegetation changes have the most impact on the water cycle, which is significant in the study region.
- Soil Texture: The texture of the soil is defined as the ratio of sand, silt, and clay. Because the pores in sand-rich soils are significant, water may drain out of them without restriction. The rate of drainage is reduced in these soils. When the amount of clay in the soil rises, the pore space becomes smaller, which limits the flow of water through the soil and increases runoff. Vertic cambisols are low-weight soil types because they lack clay and exhibit strong penetration and minimal runoff production. Because of their high clay content, chromatic luvisols are weighted highly. Clay and other fine-grained soil foundations are sufficiently water-resistant and are recommended for dam building.
AHP Analysis
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. AHP Outputs
4.2. DSSM and Its Impacts
4.3. Limitations of the Study
- The total priority is influenced by the importance assigned to each criterion. At this stage, it is essential to conduct a sensitivity analysis to see whether altering the parameters’ priority would affect the conclusion;
- Validation of the obtained results with the existing dams in the Lower Tapi basin in the region should be performed to check the efficiency of the obtained model;
- More criteria, such as the curve number and distance from a road, could be considered for the overlay analysis to obtain better results.
5. Conclusions
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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Data Type | Data Source |
---|---|
Rainfall | Indian Meteorological Department |
Digital Elevation Model (DEM) 30 m × 30 m | ASTER DEM |
Soil | FAO |
Geology, Geomorphology, and Fault Tectonics | Bhukosh Portal |
Parameters | Rainfall | Stream Order | Slope | Geology | Geomorphology | Soil | LULC | Elevation | Tectonic Fault Line | Weight (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rainfall | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 25.665 |
Stream Order | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 25.665 |
Slope | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12.06 |
Geology | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8.69 |
Geomorphology | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8.69 |
Soil | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6.27 |
LULC | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 2 | 5.25 |
Elevation | 0.167 | 0.167 | 0.5 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.33 | 3 | 4.7 |
Tectonic Fault Line | 0.125 | 0.125 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | 3.01 |
n | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RCI | 0 | 0 | 0.52 | 0.89 | 1.11 | 1.25 | 1.35 | 1.4 | 1.45 | 1.49 |
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Yadav, S.; Mohseni, U.; Vasave, M.D.; Thakur, A.S.; Tadvi, U.R.; Pawar, R.S. Assessing Dam Site Suitability Using an Integrated AHP and GIS Approach: A Case Study of the Purna Catchment in the Upper Tapi Basin, India. Environ. Earth Sci. Proc. 2025, 32, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/eesp2025032021
Yadav S, Mohseni U, Vasave MD, Thakur AS, Tadvi UR, Pawar RS. Assessing Dam Site Suitability Using an Integrated AHP and GIS Approach: A Case Study of the Purna Catchment in the Upper Tapi Basin, India. Environmental and Earth Sciences Proceedings. 2025; 32(1):21. https://doi.org/10.3390/eesp2025032021
Chicago/Turabian StyleYadav, Shravani, Usman Mohseni, Mohit Dashrath Vasave, Advait Sanjay Thakur, Uday Ravindra Tadvi, and Rohit Subhash Pawar. 2025. "Assessing Dam Site Suitability Using an Integrated AHP and GIS Approach: A Case Study of the Purna Catchment in the Upper Tapi Basin, India" Environmental and Earth Sciences Proceedings 32, no. 1: 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/eesp2025032021
APA StyleYadav, S., Mohseni, U., Vasave, M. D., Thakur, A. S., Tadvi, U. R., & Pawar, R. S. (2025). Assessing Dam Site Suitability Using an Integrated AHP and GIS Approach: A Case Study of the Purna Catchment in the Upper Tapi Basin, India. Environmental and Earth Sciences Proceedings, 32(1), 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/eesp2025032021