Comparing and monitoring the spectral reflectivity of land cover in Taji using remote sensing data

Sustainable development of the land cover (LC) requires monitoring the natural features and land uses (LU) for different periods and identifying the changes that have occurred through the use of modern remote sensing techniques, including a comparison of the recorded spectral reflectivity of the land cover features (water bodies, soil, plants, urban) by the sum of the pixels containing the value of each feature. The study area is chosen, which is Al-Taji District, located north of Baghdad, and is considered an agricultural areas depending entirely on water irrigation from streams branching from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Landsat 5 and 8 images are used for the MSS and Oli sensors, respectively, with a temporal resolution of 2000-2020 and for the wet and dry seasons. The results showed a degradation in the land cover as a result of random urban sprawl on agricultural lands and farmers leaving their professions to other professions for quick gain, which led to neglecting the vegetation cover, including the fish ponds spread in the study areas. This study can help decision-makers to monitor the state of the land cover and develop solutions to help in sustainable development to maintain sound productivity that serves the residents.