Integrating Remote Sensing and GIS for LULC Studies in the Panchganga River Basin

The lower Panchganga River Basin, located in the heart of Kolhapur District, is a vital ecological and socio-economic region known for its varied landscapes and evolving land use patterns. This study aims to analyze land use and land cover (LULC) changes in the basin for the years 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021. Using remote sensing and GIS techniques, we assessed an area of 811.54 sq. km, creating LULC maps for the specified years through supervised classification in QGIS. The accuracy of the classification was evaluated using the error matrix approach, with Kappa coefficients of 0.78, 0.79, 0.71, and 0.82 for 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021, respectively, indicating satisfactory overall accuracy. The analysis revealed a decline in agricultural land (from 78.8% to 76.5%), water bodies (from 2.3% to 1.4%), barren land (from 4.9% to 3.9%), and forest areas (from 6.2% to 4.0%) over the 30-year period. Conversely, urban settlements increased significantly from 7.8% to 14.6% of the total area. These findings highlight significant LULC changes in the basin, with agricultural land remaining predominant due to its economic importance. Understanding these changes is crucial for informed decision-making, sustainable resource management, and effective environmental planning in the Panchganga River Basin. Further study on LULC change detection in this important river basin in Kolhapur District, Maharashtra, is essential for addressing the region's evolving needs.