GEE-based Analysis of LULC Changes Across Five Decades Over Part of Northern India

Pranjal Pandey

Environmental Science and Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the change in the land use pattern in and around three major seasonal rivers (Ghaggar, Markanda, and Tangri) and two minor streams marked as Stream A and Stream B of northern Haryana and Punjab region (India) due to urbanisation and agricultural practices. Landsat data covering a period of 50 years, which includes Landsat 1 MSS (1973) at 60m resolution and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS (2023) at 30m resolution, are used. Google Earth Engine-based Land Use Land Cover modeling is used for all analysis. A comparison of classified images at a difference of 50 years suggests major part of the flood plains of all three main rivers is occupied by urbanisation as well as converted to agricultural land. The study shows that the builtup area has increased by 552.43 sq. kms. and the water area in terms of ponds, etc., has increased by 7.31 sq. kms. whereas a reduction of 93.31 sq. kms. in the vegetation area was observed. Further, the bare open land area is found to be reduced by 466.44 sq. kms. Thus, suggesting encroachment in the river floodplain and bare open land due to excessive urbanisation and agricultural practices.

Keywords: Land use land cover (LULC); Google Earth Engine (GEE); Landsat; Geographical information system (GIS); Transition analysis

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