GIS Based Sustainable Land Use Planning using Spatial Variation of Soil and Terrain Information

Abstract

Scientific assessment on existing soil and land resources with respect to their spatial distribution, characteristics, potentials, limitations were the pre-requisite for formulating sustainable land use strategies to obtain higher land and water productivity. For quick collection of data and analysis, in this study, various thematic maps were generated like slope, existing land use, available water capacity, organic carbon, soil texture and bulk density were prepared and overlaid to develop integrated Composite Land Development Unit (CLDU) map. A set of decision rules were applied on CLUDs to generate action plan map, showing location specific recommendations on sustainable land use planning in the watershed. The lowland rice areas which were presently under single cropping, could be converted to double/triple cropping, particularly in fields where irrigation could be given. The rainfed lowlands with higher available water capacity had a lot of residual soil moisture which could be utilized to grow low water requiring crops like green gram, blackgram etc after rice. The irrigated lowland could be utilized by incorporating one legume crop like green gram into cropping system after rice and one short duration vegetable crops. Long duration rice of 150 days was to be avoided to convert mono-cropping to double cropping. Since organic carbon content of the soil was low to medium, emphasis was also given for organic carbon sequestration in the cultivable soil through conservation tillage. Morphometric analysis of drainage network revealed that prominent drainage pattern of the watershed was dendritic with low drainage density. Thus, the region had highly permeable subsoil material and had low relief.