Geo-Spatial Modeling in the Assessment of Environmental Resources for Sustainable Water Resource Management in a Semi- Arid Region : A Case Study of Bhandara District, India

Abstract

The present study is geospatial modeling in the assessment of environmental resources for sustainable water resource management in a Bhandara district, India, using by geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) techniques. The study will be based on secondary data. Secondary data was collected during the time period between are 1971 to 2013. After data collection the data were edited and coded. Then all the collected data were scrutinized carefully and recorded in master sheets. The monsoon rains in district are concentrated in the four months from June to September and receive 90.81% rainfall, post-monsoon 1.86% pre-monsoon 4.83% and winter 2.48%. Sandy red soil has covered 31% area; median black soil has covered 47% and Lomi red soil 22% covered the area of district. There are 580 large and 13,758 small and medium sized lakes in the district. The percentage of total area under forest 12.25%, especially during 2001 to 2011 periods it was in Bhandara (12.33%), Mohadi (19.89%), Tumsar (13.27%), Lakhani (11.13%) and Lakhandur (16.24%) decreased on large scale. There is a tremendous increase in the forest area in Sakoli (9.31%). Well irrigation is very important, in 1981; the total irrigated area was 66009 hect. of these 7.67% area is under well irrigation in 2011, the total irrigated area was 128165 hect; of these, 19605 hect. (15.30%) area was under well irrigation in the district. The aim of this present study was to evaluate environmental resource units that have been delineated based on the geospatial modeling of environment parameters with appropriate weights in GIS and RS techniques. The data can be used for area management, utilized in restoration and conservation of natural resources studies in the future.