Studies on the impact of watershed development programme using remote sensing and GIS Technique
The studies regarding the impact of watershed development activities were undertaken by using the Remote Sensing and GIS technique. The evaluation of watershed development programme was done based on four Indicators, viz. change in land use pattern, vegetation index, runoff and socio-economic status. The first three indicators were studied using Remote Sensing and GIS technique whereas the fourth indicator socio-economic status was studied by conducting field visits and interviews with the farmers at field level and Supervisory Officials.
The results of this study indicated that there is marginal increase (0.06 and 0.01 %) in the spread of water body in the watershed as well as in the buffer area.
There is 0.21% increase in area under agriculture and 0.16% increase in the area under plantation in the watershed. Mainly the fallow land has been converted into cropped land. The wasteland in the watershed has also decreased by 0.42%.
The area under degraded forest and open forest in the watershed has decreased by 0.06% and 0.03%, respectively and that under dense forest has increased by 0.09%
This has been clearly seen from the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index, which shows that the area under open vegetation and dense vegetation in the watershed has increased and the area under blank and degraded vegetation has decreased by 0.94, 6.98, 3.44 and 4.56% respectively.
The weighted curve numbers in the sub watershed units 1,2 and 3 have decreased by 1.94, 2.63 and 0.77 and so the maximum potential retention has increased. Whereas the weighted curve numbers curve number in the sub watershed unit 4 and 5 has increased by 2.24 and 0.86%. However the entire watershed shows lowering of weighted curve number form 74.74 to 74.35 thereby increasing the maximum potential retention from 85.85 to 87.63 mm. There is an increase in cropped land and average crop yields. This has resulted in increase in income of the farmers. There was increase in literacy percentage in the watershed.
Source
Agriculture Sprayers and Dusters by ASPEE Group Of Companies, India. www.aspee.com
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This article is written by Shri. S.K. Upadhye of Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri on behalf of ASPEE Agriculture Research and Development Foundation. ASPEE Group of Companies is the leading manufacturer and exporter of Agriculture Sprayers and Dusters
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