Land use/cover mapping and assessing the impact of solid waste on water quality of Dal Lake catchment using remote sensing and GIS (Srinagar, India)

Abstract

The current study was carried out to monitor the changing land use/cover and assess the impact of solid waste on water quality of Dal Lake in Srinagar city (India). Various data sets were used for analysis of geomorphology studies such as socio-economic changes and water quality status. The study reveals that agriculture land decreased from 13 to 11.39%, forests from 2.55 to 1.41%, water from 22.05 to 19.85%, and plantation from 22.28 to 14.65%. Although the study also reveals there has been an increase in built-up from 8.87 to 23.90%, aquatic vegetation increased from 10.25 to 17.03%. Finally, changes in all categories were correlated and it was found that the wards surrounding the Dal Lake show the dynamic change in land use/cover and solid waste parameters which in turn changed the water quality of Dal Lake. It was observed that solid waste generated varies from ward to ward depending upon land use cover and socio-economics. In order to protect the lake basin, controlled human activities, land use and water resources within the catchments are to be done in cooperation between the government departments, local authorities and the general local community around Dal Lake catchment.