A Geospatial Analysis Approach for Assessing the Impact of Land Use on Groundwater Resources in the SanGong Oasis Region

In this study, the relationship between land use and land cover change (LUCC) and variation of groundwater table and quality in the SanGong Oasis Region in the western China is investigated using a geospatial approach. Specifically, the interactions among groundwater, surface water, and LUCC are analyzed through the utilization of geographical information system (GIS), remote sensing (RS) imagery processing, and geostatistics. Study outputs indicate that recharging into the groundwater in the study area does not change significantly during the period from 1978 to 1998. However, both LUCC and groundwater table have changed substantially in the SanGong Oasis Region, and their variations are closely correlated to each other spatially and temporally over the past two decades. This confirms that urbanization and industry are direct reasons for the decrease in water table and deterioration of groundwater quality.