Groundwater Potential Mapping Using GIS,remote Sensing and AHP: A Case Study of Kitgum and Pader Districts, Acholi Sub-Region, Uganda

Groundwater is a critical freshwater resource in semi-arid regions, particularly in water-stressed areas northern Uganda where surface water is scarce and unreliable. This study employed a geospatial approach integrated with multi-criteria decision analysis to identify groundwater potential zones in Kitgum and Pader districts of the Acholi subregion, Uganda. Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), six thematic layers controlling groundwater occurrence rainfall, drainage density, slope, soil type, geology, and land use/land cover were developed, standardized, and assigned normalized weights based on their hydrogeological significance. A weighted overlay analysis in ArcGIS was applied to synthesize these layers into a comprehensive groundwater potential zonation map. The result catagorised the study area into five zones: very low, low, medium, high, and very high potential. The analysis revealed that Kitgum District is predominantly characterized by very low to low groundwater potential zones 67.24% when it is combined, constrained by factors such as higher drainage density, and steeper slopes. Conversely, Pader District sgowed favorable conditions, with 85.5% of its area classified as high to very high groundwater potential, attributed to gentle slopes,and higher rainfall, that enhance infiltration capacity. Validation against yield data from 18 existing boreholes demonstrated a 61.1% alignment between the model and actual well performance, confirming the model's reliability. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of GIS-based and AHP as a cost-effective tool for preliminary groundwater exploration in data-scarce environments. The resulting groundwater potential map provides a vital scientific foundation for sustainable water resource management, enabling targeted borehole siting, informed aquifer development, and resilience-building strategies to enhance water security for communities and livelihoods in the Acholi sub-region.