Analytic hierarchy process-based criteria for assessing the site suitability of small water impounding projects in Bukidnon, Philippines

Abstract

The engineering planning and design of Small Water Impounding Projects (SWIPs) necessitates proper site selection to ensure technical viability and sustainability. This study developed localized criteria for assessing the site suitability of SWIPs in the whole province of Bukidnon by integrating national engineering standards with local experts’ opinions using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Pairwise comparison of the formulated criteria was performed by selected local experts to derive their relative weights, with consistency ratios checked against Saaty’s thresholds to validate their judgments. The resulting weight set showed that hydrological factors dominated the hierarchy, with annual rainfall (25.2%) and watershed area (13%) contributing the most to the composite suitability index, followed by geotechnical factors (soil texture, land slope, reservoir area) and, to a lesser extent, accessibility and socio-economic factors. A weighted linear combination was used to compute pixel-level suitability, classified into four FAO-based suitability classifications. Results of this study provided an objective, transparent, spatially-explicit, and site-specific framework which can be used by water resources planners and engineers for screening and prioritizing SWIP sites in the upland areas of Bukidnon in support of irrigation development in the country.