Kumar et al. (2026) Developing a Comprehensive and Spatially Explicit GIS–Fuzzy TOPSIS Framework for Drought Vulnerability Assessment

Identification

• Journal: Water Resources Management
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-02-01
• Authors: Vijendra Kumar, Akash Nandkumar Mohite, Saleh Alsulamy
• DOI: 10.1007/s11269-025-04488-w

Research Groups

• School of Engineering, NICMAR University, Pune, Maharashtra, India
• Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, Kothrud, Pune, Maharashtra, India
• Department of Architecture & Planning, College of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia

Short Summary

This study developed a comprehensive and spatially explicit GIS–Fuzzy TOPSIS framework for drought vulnerability assessment in Maharashtra, India, integrating diverse environmental and socio-economic indicators. The framework revealed that nearly half of the study area (47.52%) falls into high and very high vulnerability zones, primarily driven by low rainfall, depleted groundwater, and persistent soil moisture deficits.

Objective

• To develop a comprehensive and spatially explicit framework for assessing drought vulnerability in Maharashtra, India, by integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Fuzzy TOPSIS). This approach aims to evaluate drought susceptibility using diverse environmental and socio-economic indicators, addressing uncertainty in expert judgment through fuzzy logic and enabling spatial mapping for region-specific mitigation strategies.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: State of Maharashtra, India (approximately 307,713 square kilometers), with high-resolution vulnerability mapping.
• Temporal Scale: Rainfall data analyzed for the period 2015–2020, with other indicators representing general or average conditions relevant to drought vulnerability.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (Fuzzy TOPSIS), Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) framework.
• Data sources: Governmental and meteorological agencies, peer-reviewed literature, and established online databases.
  • Indicators: Rainfall, soil moisture, groundwater level, temperature, land use/land cover (LULC), slope, elevation, surface roughness (derived from Digital Elevation Model), and surface pressure.

Main Results

• High and Very High drought vulnerability zones collectively cover 47.52% of Maharashtra, predominantly in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions.
• These highly vulnerable areas are characterized by low rainfall (often below 700 millimeters annually), deep groundwater levels (exceeding 15–25 meters below ground level), persistent soil moisture deficits (0.031–0.087 cubic meters per cubic meter), and high temperatures (31–36 degrees Celsius).
• Low and Very Low vulnerability zones (8.37% and 0.46%, respectively) are concentrated in the Konkan coast and Western Ghats, attributed to abundant rainfall (exceeding 1,700 millimeters annually) and reliable groundwater recharge.
• The Fuzzy TOPSIS analysis identified rainfall (Closeness Coefficient Index of 0.626), soil moisture, and groundwater level as the dominant drivers of drought vulnerability.
• The integrated framework generated a composite drought vulnerability index and high-resolution maps, classifying regions into five distinct risk categories (very low, low, moderate, high, and very high).

Contributions

• Developed a novel, uncertainty-aware, and spatially explicit drought vulnerability framework by integrating GIS with Fuzzy TOPSIS.
• Simultaneously incorporated a comprehensive set of meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socio-economic indicators.
• Explicitly addressed uncertainty and subjectivity in expert judgment through fuzzy logic, enhancing the robustness and reliability of the assessment.
• Provided high-resolution drought vulnerability mapping for Maharashtra, supporting region-specific mitigation strategies, strategic water resource planning, and policy-oriented decision-making.
• Aligned the methodology and its outcomes with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6, SDG 11, SDG 13, and SDG 15), promoting climate-resilient planning and sustainable water and land management.
• The proposed framework is transferable and adaptable to other drought-prone regions globally.

Funding

• Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University, under project group number RGP.2/121/46.

Citation

@article{Kumar2026Developing,
  author = {Kumar, Vijendra and Mohite, Akash Nandkumar and Alsulamy, Saleh},
  title = {Developing a Comprehensive and Spatially Explicit GIS–Fuzzy TOPSIS Framework for Drought Vulnerability Assessment},
  journal = {Water Resources Management},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1007/s11269-025-04488-w},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-025-04488-w}
}