Temporal Variation of Land Use in Fadak Project, Najaf Governorate - Iraq using some Spectral Index

Abstract

A project called Fadak farm in Najaf province was selected to study and analyze the variations in land covers for agricultural projects in central Iraq using geospatial technologies. Three US Landsat satellite sensors, 5, 8, and 9, were chosen for the years 1989, 2013, and 2022. The satellite images were optically and digitally processed, radiometrically and spatially enhanced Two indices were used. to determine the variations in the three selected years: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI). The spatial data were classified using ArcGIS Pro software, and the results showed spatial and temporal changes in the values of the indices used in the study area, reflecting changes in land covers. The percentage of variation in these indices was also determined between each year. The results indicated that barren lands were the most prevalent cover, occupying 63.75% (1585.86 hectares) of the study area. The second category in terms of area was non-cultivated agricultural lands, with an area of 610.91 hectares (24.56%) of the study area. The third category was areas affected by salinity, with an area of 86.95 hectares (3.50%) of the study area. Finally, the smallest category was vegetation cover with an area of 203.97 hectares (8.20%) of the study area. The results indicate that barren lands and non-cultivated agricultural lands dominate the study area.