Effects of Anthropogenic Stress and Water Security in Himalayan Urban River Watershed: Fid-Bau Portal

Effects of Anthropogenic Stress and Water Security in Himalayan Urban River Watershed

Kumar, Avinash / Nandi, Ketan Kumar / Dutta, Subashisa

This study investigates the impact of changing land use and land cover patterns on the surface water deficit in the Rispana River Watershed in Dehradun, India, from 1991 to 2020. Using Landsat TM, ETM+, and OLI images in the GEE platform, the authors assess changes in vegetation, land cover, and land use, as well as climatic variables such as precipitation, evapotranspiration, and temperature. Find that the rapid expansion of urban/built-up areas, from 20% in 2005 to 64% in 2020, is one of the primary reasons for the decline in surface water area. Over the past 30 years, the maximum and average variations of surface water areas have shown a declining trend. In addition, the study find that LST has risen by 2.74 ℃ during the study period, and meteorological parameters have changed with the declining surface water area. Field surveys conducted in the pre- and post-monsoon periods confirm these findings. The study suggest that a proper management policy for watershed restoration and rejuvenation initiatives should be designed and implemented to mitigate the negative impacts of urbanization and overexploitation of natural resources. The findings of this study are relevant not only for the Rispana River Watershed but also for other regions facing similar challenges. The study highlights the need for sustainable land use practices and ecosystem management strategies that balance economic development with environmental conservation. The integration of geospatial data with hydrological, meteorological, and environmental variables at a regional scale can help policymakers and stakeholders make informed decisions for the sustainable management of river watersheds in the face of rapid urbanization and climate change.