The Application of GIS and Remote Sensing for Evaluating Land use/Land Cover Dynamics in Megech Watershed, Upper Blue Nile Basin Ethiopia

This study was conducted to the application of GIS and Remote Sensing for Evaluating Land use/Land Cover Dynamics in Megech Watershed, Upper Blue Nile Basin Ethiopia. Land sat images from 1986, 2001 and 2020 were used to produce three maps of the respective years using GIS with field verification. Software used for this study was Arc GIS 10.3.1 and ERDAS Imagine 14. Data from satellite images coupled with field observation and socio-economic survey revealed an effective approach for analyzing the extent, rate and spatial pattern of LU/LC change. The result showed that six land cover categories, namely forest land, wetland, woodland, farmland, bare land, water body and grassland have been identified. The general trends observed from 1986-2001 was a decrease grazing land, built up area plantation declined annually with the rate of -0.36ha/year,-2.98 ha/year and -3.99 ha/year. While, natural forest, water bodies and cultivated land shows increasing trend 0.699ha/year,3.37 ha/year and 3.19 ha/year. Similarly, between 2001-2020, natural forest, water bodies and cultivated land continued to increase with the mean annual rate of 0.4ha.year, 1.05 ha/year and 0.03ha respectively. Besides built up are also enhancedby5.7ha/year, Whereas the reduction grazing land and plantation declined annually more or less in similar pattern with the rate of -0.84ha/year and -1.64 ha/year respectively. Keywords: Landsat, Land use, Land cover and LU/LCC. DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/69-04 Publication date:October 31st 2020