Quantitative and spatial assessment of watershed management based on land use land cover dynamics in Western Himalaya

Present study focuses on analyzing the spatial and temporal land use land cover change in a typical Himalayan mountain river basin. The land use land cover classification of Juni basin covering an area of 207.29 sq.km, has been prepared by calculating the area change of different land use land cover classes from satellite images of 1972 (MSS) and 2009 (LISS III). Here the conflict between social and natural forces has brought significant changes in the fragile mountain ecosystem. Monitoring and assessing the nature of changes brought over four decades in the basin is essential to maintain and restore the sustainable development of Juni basin. In the present study geospatial tools have been used to capture the changes brought in different land use land cover classes. The analysis of land use land cover change shows significant decrease in forest and sparse vegetation cover in the basin. Forest and sparse vegetation cover has recorded 4.12 and 2.58 percent negative growth in area over the study period. While, agricultural and built up land had experienced 28.55 and 24.81 percent positive growth in areal coverage from 1972 to 2009. The high rate and intensity of land use land cover changes from primary vegetation cover to secondary man made land cover has introduced several important changes in the local ecosystem. The growing population, expansion of agricultural land and built up land, sand mining, construction of roads and various development activities like construction of hydro project at Chachiot are the major pushing factor responsible for reduction of vegetation cover.