Land Cover Change and its Impact on Flooding Frequency of Batanghari Watershed, Jambi Province, Indonesia

AbstractBatanghari Watershed experiences rapid land cover change due to the expansion of agriculture plantations such as oil palm and rubber. Based on National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) report, flooding frequency in Batanghari Watershed increases steadily in the last 15 years. Objective of the research was to analyse land cover change and its impact on flooding frequency of Batanghari Watershed Jambi Province. Land cover change was analysed using Landsat images from year 1990 and 2013 in combination with Planology Agency land use maps and concession data of oil palm plantation obtained from Plantation office (DISBUN) Jambi Province. Landsat images were processed using Carnegie Landsat Analysis System–Lite (CLASlite) module to differentiate undisturbed (primary), disturbed (secondary) forest and also oil palm growing stages. Flooding frequency was analysed using disaster database from BNPB. The study showed that land cover change in Batanghari Watershed contribute to the higher flooding frequency of Batanghari Watershed