Solid waste dumping site suitability analysis using geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing for Bahir Dar Town, North Western Ethiopia

Solid waste dumping is a serious problem in the urban areas because most solid wastes are not dumped in the suitable areas. Bahir Dar Town has the problem of solid waste dumping site identification. The main  objective of this study was to select potential areas for suitable solid wastedumping sites for Bahir Dar Town, which are environmentally suitable. The main data used for this study were spot image with a spatial resolution of 5 m; digital elevation model (DEM) with 30 m spatial resolution, and ground control point (GCP) collected by ground point survey (GPS) and topographical map of the study area. The maps were prepared by overlay and suitability analysis of geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing techniques and multi criteria analysis methods. The final suitability map was prepared by overlay analyses on Arc map and leveled as high, moderate, less suitable, and unsuitable regions of the study area were determined. The results indicate that 65% of the study area is unsuitable for solid waste dumping; 1.3% less suitable; 21.8% moderately suitable; and 11.9% most suitable. The potential most suitable areas for solid waste dumping sites fall on southern and south eastern part of the town where there are least environmental and health risks. The GIS andremote sensing techniques are important tools for solid waste site selection. Hence, the capacity to use GIS and remote sensing technology for the effective identification of suitable solid waste dumping site will minimize the environmental risk and human health problems.Key words: Dumping site, geographic information system (GIS), remote sensing, multi criteria analysis, solid waste, weight overlay