In the heart of the American South, Shelby County, Tennessee, is undergoing rapid urbanization, placing immense pressure on its groundwater resources. As cities expand and industries thrive, the demand for potable water surges, pushing aquifers to their limits. Enter Tareq Jamal Chy, a researcher from the University of the Cumberlands, who has pioneered a novel approach to assess and manage groundwater potential in this dynamic region.
Chy, hailing from the Department of Graduate Information Technology at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY, has integrated Geographic Information System (GIS) and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) techniques to map Shelby County’s groundwater potential. This innovative method, detailed in a recent study published in the journal ‘Green Technologies and Sustainability’ (Zelené technologie a udržateľnosť), promises to revolutionize how we approach groundwater management, particularly in urbanized temperate regions.
The study, which Chy led, created eight thematic layers—including elevation, slope, drainage density, lineament density, rainfall, land cover, soil group, and porosity—to paint a comprehensive picture of the county’s groundwater landscape. By allocating weights to various classes of these thematic maps using the AHP method, Chy and his team were able to demarcate five distinct groundwater potential zones: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high.
“The stratification of these zones,” Chy explains, “provides a clear roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders to make informed, sustainable decisions about groundwater management.” The findings reveal that the moderate groundwater potential zone occupies the largest portion of Shelby County at 62.5%, followed by high and low zones at 28% and 8.92%, respectively. The very low and very high potential zones are present only in tiny, isolated sections.
So, what does this mean for the energy sector and other commercial interests? As urbanization continues to drive demand for water, industries—particularly those in energy, manufacturing, and agriculture—will face increasing pressure to manage their water usage sustainably. Chy’s research offers a blueprint for identifying high-potential groundwater zones, enabling these industries to plan and invest in water management strategies that minimize environmental impact and ensure long-term viability.
Moreover, the integration of GIS and AHP techniques opens up new avenues for data-driven decision-making in water resource management. By providing direct, actionable data on groundwater potential, this approach can help industries and policymakers alike to navigate the complexities of water scarcity and climate change.
As Chy puts it, “The future of groundwater management lies in our ability to harness technology and data to make informed decisions. This study is a step towards that future, demonstrating the power of GIS-AHP integration in assessing and managing groundwater potential in urbanized temperate regions.”
The implications of Chy’s research extend far beyond Shelby County. As cities around the world grapple with water scarcity and climate change, the need for sustainable groundwater management has never been more pressing. By providing a replicable model for assessing groundwater potential, Chy’s work paves the way for similar studies in other regions, shaping the future of water resource management on a global scale.