Impact Of Urban Growth Research Articles

Sustainable development goals, governance and assessment of the impact of urban growth on vegetation cover in Benin City, Nigeria, using land-use–land-cover change trajectories

Land-use/cover (LULC) and governance are key elements in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. This study focused primarily on LULC changes in Benin City, Nigeria, from 1992 to 2022; to examine how urban growth affected vegetation cover across four time points: 1992, 2002, 2015 and 2022. Variable LULC classifications considered included: built-up areas, open spaces/bare lands, vegetations, waterbodies and wetlands. In three decades (1992–2022), increases in the built-up, open space/bare land and wetland LULC were observed and attributed to population increases and higher infrastructural demands whereas evident reductions in the sizes of vegetation and waterbody categories were ascribed to anthropogenic activities and climate events. The average annual rates of change in the built-up and vegetation LULC increased (7.28%) and decreased (−3.02%), respectively, between 1992 and 2022; with the built-up area experiencing a 218% increase from 6493 to 20,672 (km2) whereas vegetation decreased by 90% from 23,445 to 2239 (km2). The corollary is that urban growth, exemplified by the built-up LULC, was progressive while vegetation cover was depleted, in the 30-year period. Changes in five other periods were also interrogated. Government and stakeholders-promoted afforestation and agroforestry programs are recommended as plausible solutions to check vegetation-cover depletion. Other solutions proffered include the support of relevant farmers’ trainings in climate-smart and hydroponic agriculture, and the application of sustainable farming techniques. Policymakers and estate developers/managers should encourage sustainable land governance and cities with resilience and coping capacities; to tackle the problem of climate change, with high emphasis on green area developments.

Investigating the impact of urban growth on land use using spatial autocorrelation methods in Konya/Türkiye.

Land use land cover (LULC) change, global environmental change, and sustainable change are frequently discussed topics in research at the moment. It is important to determine the historical LULC change process for effective environmental planning and the most appropriate use of land resources. This study analysed the spatial autocorrelation of the land use structure in Konya between 1990 and 2018. For this, Global and Local Moran's I indices based on land use data from 122 neighbourhoods and hot spot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) methods were applied to measure the spatial correlation of changes and to determine statistically significant hot and cold spatial clusters. According to the research results, the growth of urban areas has largely destroyed the most productive agricultural lands in the region. This change showed high spatial clustering both on an area and a proportional basis in the northern and southern parts of the city. On the other hand, the growth in the industrial area suppressed the pasture areas the most in the north-eastern region of the city, and this region showed high spatial clustering on both spatial and proportional scales.

Patterns of Urban Sprawl and Agricultural Land Loss in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Cases of the Ugandan Cities of Kampala and Mbarara

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is undergoing rapid urbanization, yet research comparing urban expansion and agricultural land loss in peri-urban areas is scarce. This study utilizes multi-temporal Landsat imagery to examine the impact of urban growth on agricultural land and fragile ecosystems in Kampala (a mega city) and Mbarara (a regional urban center) in Uganda. We distinguish between random and systematic land-use and land-cover (LULC) transitions in the landscape. The results reveal substantial urban expansion. Kampala’s urban area surged from 7.14% in 1989 to 55.10% in 2015, while Mbarara increased from 6.37% in 2002 to 30.95% in 2016. Correspondingly, agricultural land decreased, from 48.02% to 16.69% in Kampala, and from 39.92% to 32.08% in Mbarara. Notably, a significant proportion of urban growth in both cities encroached upon agricultural land (66.7% in Kampala and 57.8% in Mbarara). The transition from agricultural to built-up areas accounted for 14.72% to 28.45% of the landscapes. Additionally, unsustainable practices led to the conversion of wetlands and forests to agricultural land, with approximately 13% of wetlands and 23% of Savannah and forests being converted between 2001 and 2015. These findings underscore the necessity of monitoring LULC changes for sustainable urban growth management, emphasizing the importance of preserving agricultural land and ecosystems to ensure present and future food security. This research contributes to the understanding of urbanization’s impact on peri-urban agricultural land and ecosystems in SSA, providing insights that are crucial for informed urban planning and policy formulation aimed at sustainable development in the region.

Three facets of urban metabolism (case of Kazakhstan)

ABSTRACT The urbanisation growth causes problems related to the provision and consumption of resources, ecology, and social living conditions in cities. The purpose of the article is to study the dependence of metabolic factors and the level of urban conveniences on the urbanisation level and to justify the need to monitor these processes and improve the management of urban systems with the purpose to achieve sustainable development objectives. Three aspects of the problem of urban metabolism and sustainable development of cities are considered in the article. They are energy consumption by megacities, social aspects of metabolism and growth of megacities, problems of urban improvement. The increasing risks of negative impact of urban growth on the environment and living conditions has been proven. It is shown that the resettlement flow of village residents to cities, especially large ones, remains high despite the deterioration of the environmental situation in large cities and the lag in the urban infrastructure development from the population growth rate. The expediency to expand the context of the urban metabolism problem was noted, including the exchange of resources between urban and rural to reduce spatial inequality, and to increase the sustainability of urban and rural settlements.

Geospatial Assessment of Environmental Impact of Urban Growth in Akure South, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Purpose: This comprehensive study examines the environmental impact of urbanization in Akure South, Ondo State, Nigeria, using a fusion of geospatial and microbiological analyses. Employing Landsat imagery from 2000, 2011, and 2022, processed through ArcGIS 10.8 and TERRSET software, the study maps and quantifies urban expansion and land use changes.Methodology: The research concurrently leverages, microbiological techniques to assess air pollution, as well as water and soil contamination levels. Findings: The result highlighted an increase in built up area from 9.31% in 2000 to 17.45% in 2011 and 29.54% in 2022, which is evident particularly in Akure township area, correlating with a notable decline in environmental quality. Pollution hotspots, identified through rigorous spatial analysis, point to areas severely impacted by urban growth and high level of air pollution, as well as water and soil contamination. In addition, Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) prediction shows that built up area will likely cover about 30.09% by 2042. These findings underscore the urgent need for strategic urban planning and robust pollution control measures. Unique contributor to theory, policy and practice: The study advocates for a balanced approach to urban development, integrating environmental sustainability to mitigate the adverse effects of rapid urban growth. This research contributes to the broader discourse on urbanization's environmental impact, offering valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners in similarly developing regions of the world.

Quantifying the Impact of Urban Growth on Urban Surface Heat Islands in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, Thailand

The urban built environment, comprising structures, roads, and various facilities, plays a key role in the formation of urban heat islands, which inflict considerable damage upon human society. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in urban areas characterized by the rapid growth and concentration of populations, a global trend, notably exemplified in megacities such as Bangkok, Thailand. The global trend of urbanization has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent decades, with cities transforming into megametropolises that profoundly impact changes in urban temperature, specifically the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon induced by the rapid growth of urban areas. Elevated urban concentrations lead to increased city density, contributing to higher temperatures within the urban environment compared to the surrounding areas. The evolving land-use surface has assumed heightened significance due to urban development, necessitating accelerated efforts to mitigate urban heat islands. This study aims to quantify the influence of urban growth on urban surface temperature in Bangkok and its surrounding areas. The inverse relationship between urban temperature and land surface temperature (LST), coupled with urban area density, was examined using Landsat 5 and 8 satellite imagery. The analysis revealed a positive correlation between higher temperatures and levels of urban growth. Areas characterized by high-rise structures and economic activities experienced the most pronounced impact of the heat island phenomenon. The city exhibited a notable correlation between high density and high temperatures (high–high), signifying that increased density contributes to elevated temperatures due to heat dissipation (significant correlation of R2 = 0.8582). Conversely, low-temperature, low-density cities (low–low) with a dispersed layout demonstrated effective cooling of the surrounding area, resulting in a significant correlation with lower local temperatures (R2 = 0.7404). These findings provide valuable insights to assist governments and related agencies in expediting planning and policy development aimed at reducing heat in urban areas and steering sustainable urban development.

The Impact of Urban Growth in The City of Jijel on The Urban Water Management Process (Rainwater and Wastewater)

The Impact of Urban Growth in The City of Jijel on The Urban Water Management Process (Rainwater and Wastewater)

An Evaluation of the Impact of Urban Growth on Runoff in Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria

Abeokuta is one of the urban areas in Nigeria with high cases of runoff fatalities in recent times, indicating the need for a proper understanding of prominent runoff-generating mechanisms, as well as the causative factors. Consequently, this paper, which is focused on flood-prone settlements, is aimed at providing information on the impact of change in urban land use on runoff in the study area. The specific objectives were to determine the change in average runoff in terms of the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCN-CN), and to assess the impact of urban growth on runoff in the area. The SCN-CN was derived from the 30m spatial Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Digital Elevation Model (SRTM DEM). At the same time, land cover change was estimated using Landsat TM+ from 2000 and Landsat 8 OLI from 2018. Data were analysed using the Hydrologic Engineering Centre’s Hydrologic Modelling System (HEC-HMS) and ArcGIS (version 10.1). The results showed a 14% increase (from 39% in 2000 to 53% in 2018) in urban areas of selected catchments; and a relative increase in average CN from 76.9 units in 2000 to 79.9 units in 2018, suggesting an increase in runoff potential relative to the increase in urban/impermeable space in the catchment. Annual discharge depth increased from 891.84mm to 956.9mm, while peak discharge increased from 161.9m3 /s to 196.2m3 /s. Runoff in the study area tends to exhibit spatial variability that is similar to the pattern exhibited by built-up areas across the study area, suggesting that the development of built-up areas can explain runoff exacerbation in part of the area. The use of SCN-CN and satellite images makes the approach reproducible, and the mixed methods of geographic information system and hydrological model revealed the spatial variability typically hidden in stand-alone hydrological models. The paper recommends further studies with the use of less coarse datasets, as well as the implementation of policies that focus on sustainable urban growth in the region, and other cities.

Measuring the extent and impact of urban expansion in an agricultural-urbanized landscape in Central Iran.

The unplanned urban expansion is a major environmental challenge in Iran resulting in vast degradation of agricultural lands. Focusing on an agricultural-urbanized landscape in Central Iran, the spatial pattern of built-up expansion was assessed from Landsat data processed in 1992 (TM), 2002 (ETM+), 2012 (TM), and 2022 (OLI). Multi-year crop NDVI was also used as a proxy for cropland suitability to assess the intensity of the urban growth impact. Results showed that (1) the area of built-up surfaces increased almost up to double than that of 1992 and passed 36% (413.42 km2) by 2022, (2) the region experienced a coalescence-diffusion transition phase with decreasing spatial connectivity of newly developed patches with old ones, (3) the most suitable croplands were lost in the middle period (2002-2012) when urban patches started to diffuse, and (4) a significantly positive spatial (Spearman's) relationship (r (22100) = 0.181, p = 0.000) was found between the area and quality of croplands which further highlights the high importance of cropland protection in the region.

Assessment of Urban Growth and Ecological Sustainability: Insights from Mumbai, India

This study quantifies the overall impact of urban growth on the ecology of Mumbai by using an Ecological Footprint analysis. Its aim is to help determine the natural resource consumption of existing urban settlements. The objective is to assess the environmental impact resulting from the existing urban layouts on Mumbai's region. The research employs a comparative analysis of footprint and land ratio for different urban layouts of Mumbai. There are different layouts in Mumbai, primarily by MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and 10 Development Authority) & private builders. Footprints and land ratio of these layouts are calculated as per the Development Control Rules of Mumbai. The results are referred to as footprint per capita and land ratio required for the layout. The land ratio is the ratio of land required for the building's total footprint to the actual built-up area of land on which the building is erected. The land ratio is directly proportional to the quantity and type of material used for building. The land ratio required in case of MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Development authority) layout is almost double than layout by private builders as much more material quantities is required in case of MHADA layout due to more no buildings, and extra FSI utilized i.e., FSI of 2.50 as against 1.33 for private layout. Hence, layouts like private builders shall be preferred for Mumbai city to achieve the region's environmental sustainability.

Spatial Assessment of Urban Growth on Green Spaces in Rwanda: An insight from Rebero Mountain Landscape in Kicukiro District, City of Kigali

Green space is a crucial component of sustainable urban development that provides urban dwellers with several environmental and social benefits. This study investigates the impact of urban growth on green space management on hilly landscape using a case study of Rebero Mountain in Kicukiro District, Kigali City. The study used medium resolution satellite imagery (Landsat for 2000, 2010, and 2021) and high-resolution imagery (Quick Bird 2010 and Worldview 2 images of 2015) to assess Land Uses Land Covers (LULC) dynamics. To investigate the local community's perception on the effects of urban growth on green space, interviews were conducted. The LULC changes detection revealed a significant decrease in green space with an increase in the built-up areas. The urbanized area has been increasing from 7,422.10 Ha up to 14,730.94 Ha during the last two decades. The increasing built-up area was in parallel with reduction of green space, specifically 44 Ha (-6.7%) of urban forest and 255 Ha (- 26.2%) of agricultural land, for the period between 2000 and 2021. The reduction of green cover had a negative impact on the environment, such as soil erosion and biodiversity loss. In order to support decision-makers in fostering the development of sustainable and green smart cities, a spatially explicit assessment of the availability, management, and accessibility of urban green areas is also important. Based on this research findings, the restoration of green spaces, including the need for land-use and land-cover change monitoring, practical government physical planning interventions, and an inclusive strategy for managing the city's green spaces that involves NGOs and citizens, and advocates for green city development are strongly recommended.

Dynamicity of Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) An analysis from peri-urban and rural neighbourhoods of Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC) in India

The availability of better economic possibilities and well-connected transportation networks has attracted people to migrate to peri-urban and rural neighbourhoods, changing the landscape of regions outside the city and fostering the growth of physical infrastructure. Using multi-temporal satellite images, the dynamics of Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) changes, the impact of urban growth on LULC changes, and regional environmental implications were investigated in the peri-urban and rural neighbourhoods of Durgapur Municipal Corporation in India. The study used different case studies to highlight the study area's heterogeneity, as the phenomenon of change is not consistent. Landsat TM and OLI-TIRS satellite images in 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021 were used to analyze the changes in LULC types. We used the relative deviation (RD), annual change intensity (ACI), uniform intensity (UI) to show the dynamicity of LULC types (agriculture land; built-up land; fallow land; vegetated land; mining area; and water bodies) during 1991–2021. This study also applied the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) to measure environmental sensitivity zones and find out the causes of LULC changes. According to LULC statistics, agriculture land, built-up land, and mining area increased by 51.7, 95.46, and 24.79 ​km2, respectively, feom 1991 to 2021. The results also suggested that built-up land and mining area had the greatest (LST), whereas water bodies and vegetated land showed the lowest LST. Moreover, this study looked at the relationships among LST, spectral indices (Normalized Differenced Built-up Index (NDBI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI)), and environmental sensitivity. The results showed that all of the spectral indices have the strongest association with LST, indicating that built-up land had a far stronger influence on the LST. The spectral indices indicated that the decreasing trends of vegetated land and water bodies were 4.26 and 0.43 km2/a, respectively, during 1991–2021. In summary, this study can help the policy-makers to predict the increasing rate of temperature and the causes for the temperature increase with the rapid expansion of built-up land, thus making effective peri-urban planning decisions.

Mapping and Influencing the Mechanism of CO2 Emissions from Building Operations Integrated Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data

Urbanization has led to rapid growth in energy consumption and CO2 emissions in the building sector. Building operation emissions (BCEs) are a major part of emissions in the building life cycle. Existing studies have attempted to estimate fine-scale BCEs using remote sensing data. However, there is still a lack of research on estimating long-term BCEs by integrating multi-source remote sensing data and applications in different regions. We selected the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration and the National Capital Region of Japan (NCRJ) as research areas for this study. We also built multiple linear regression (MLR) models between prefecture-level BCEs and multi-source remote sensing data. The prefecture-level BCEs were downscaled to grid scale at a 1 km2 resolution. The estimation results verify the method’s difference and accuracy at different development stages. The multi-scale BCEs showed a continuous growth trend in the BTH urban agglomeration and a significant downward trend in the NCRJ. The decrease in energy intensity and population density were the main factors contributing to the negative growth of BCEs, whereas GDP per capita and urban expansion significantly promoted it. Through our methods and analyses, we contribute to the study of estimating greenhouse gas emissions with remote sensing and exploring the environmental impact of urban growth.

Quantitative spatial assessment of the impact of urban growth on the landscape network of Türkiye's coastal cities.

This study aims to evaluate the impact of urban spatial expansion on the landscape patterns of coastal cities in Türkiye through the use of spatio-temporal indices. To this end, temporal samples covering a period of approximately 30years (1986-2000 and 2000-2015) were analyzed for six selected coastal cities in Türkiye. The urban spatial growth patterns in these cities were characterized using 17 geospatial indices, and Pearson's correlation coefficient and principal component analysis were employed to assess the quantitative relationships between urban spatial development and the fragmentation of landscape networks. The results of the study demonstrated that the patterns of landscape fragmentation caused by the spatial growth patterns of the selected coastal cities can be divided into two categories: disconnected landscape connections and perforated landscape patterns. Leapfrog development was identified as a major factor in the fragmentation of landscape continuity, leading to the formation of perforated green structures. The findings of this research can serve as spatial guidelines for addressing disconnected landscapes, a crucial factor in enhancing urban sustainability in Türkiye's coastal cities. Furthermore, the outcomes of this study may be useful for informing the national well-being strategy for urban planning and natural mitigating policies in Türkiye's coastal regions.

Impact of urban growth on the natural drainage network of the Srinagar city

ABSTRACT Srinagar city experienced significant expansion especially during the last four decades, which has negatively impacted its aquatic resources and their functioning. The present study aims to assess the impact of the urban growth on the natural drainage network of the Srinagar city from 1971 to 2020. The changes in the morphometry of natural drainage and urban morphology were quantified through the selected indicators. Four sample sites were selected from the study area for detailed ground validation of the quantified changes. Our results reveal that there has been almost a fourfold increase in the built-up area, taking place in all the directions, primarily in the form of edge expansion that has largely encroahed the urban streams. The findings further indicate that on the whole drainage system of the city has lost almost 15% of its total capacity. The effects of increasing built-up warrant immediate attention to initiate conservation measures for the natural drainage network of the city.

Political mission of urban planning: reconciling conflicting development goals

In the polemic of urban planning discussions, the problems of the incompleteness of the theoretical basis and the unreliability of the proposed guidelines for solving real-world problems have long been discussed. Therefore, without consistent guidelines, planners are forced to rely on intuition and common sense in often contradictory directions of chois. In addition, the picture of development context is much more complicated due to the ever-increasing uncertainty of outlook and the growing momentum of environmental and economic challenges. Today, the task of improving the methodology for predicting changes in human settlements and their impact on local and global ecosystems is particularly acute. Assessing potential short-and long-term social impacts requires the deployment of large-scale studies to quickly present and compare predicted results. This will allow to assess the impact of urban growth on the evolution of ecosystems. Since little attention is paid to macro-regional forecasting issues, there are no proper assessments of the social consequences of planned decisions. In the political discourse of professional societies and institutions, many of these issues are also remain unaddressed.

Dasymetric Mapping of Population Using Land Cover Data in JBNERR, Puerto Rico during 1990–2010

Accurate and precise spatial population data are critical to the allocation of resources for socioeconomic development and to the decision-making process for environmental management in any country. However, this type of data is not always directly available but can be estimated through spatial statistical analysis. The geo-spatialized population estimates data can provide indispensable evidence for analyzing the potential ecological threats of anthropogenic activities in ecologically protected watersheds. In this study, we applied a multiclass dasymetric mapping to estimate the geospatial distribution of the residential population of JBNERR (a natural research reserve that is located across two municipalities in southeastern Puerto Rico). We then analyzed the spatial variation of the population residing within the reserve watershed over a thirty-year period from 1990 to 2010. The result showed that the population increased by 19.5% with a growth rate of 0.97%, adding 5583 new inhabitants from 1990 to 2010 for the entire area. Where the highest population density corresponds to an urban developed area, with 254.8 ± 12.3 inhab/900 m2 in 1990, 71.2 ± 7.1 inhab/900 m2 in 2000, and 94.0 ± 4.8 inhab/900 m2 in 2010. It was followed by pastures or open areas that increased their maximum population density from 1990 to 2000 but decreased from 2000 to 2010, unlike urban areas. Our methods and results help assess the impact of urban growth on ecologically fragile areas, such as urban development in JBNERR, that may indirectly threaten the recreational activities and ecological envrionments within protected areas.

Rainfall in the Urban Area and Its Impact on Climatology and Population Growth

Due to the scarcity of studies linking the variability of rainfall and population growth in the capital cities of Northeastern Brazil (NEB), the purpose of this study is to evaluate the variability and multiscale interaction (annual and seasonal), and in addition, to detect their trends and the impact of urban growth. For this, monthly rainfall data between 1960 and 2020 were used. In addition, the detection of rainfall trends on annual and seasonal scales was performed using the Mann–Kendall (MK) test and compared with the phases of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). The relationship between population growth data and rainfall data for different decades was established. Results indicate that the variability of multiscale urban rainfall is directly associated with the ENSO and PDO phases, followed by the performance of rain-producing meteorological systems in the NEB. In addition, the anthropic influence is shown in the relational pattern between population growth and the variability of decennial rainfall in the capitals of the NEB. However, no capital showed a significant trend of increasing annual rainfall (as in the case of Aracaju, Maceió, and Salvador). The observed population increase in the last decades in the capitals of the NEB and the notable decreasing trend of rainfall could compromise the region’s water security. Moreover, if there is no strategic planning about water bodies, these changes in the rainfall pattern could be compromising.

Monitoring vegetation phenology using MODIS NDVI 250m in the City of Tshwane, South Africa

The unprecedented influx of people into urban areas has led to the horizontal and vertical growth of urban environments. One of the notable impacts of urbanisation is the encroachment of urban-like environments into non-urban areas. This is common in both developed and developing countries, and South Africa’s City of Tshwane, the administrative capital of the country, has been affected by urbanisation because of migration. One of the parameters or proxies used to quantify urban growth is vegetation cover. There is a consensus that with the increase in the population of urban dwellers, vegetation cover will decrease. To assess and monitor vegetation cover, the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is commonly used. In this study, MODIS NDVI data with a 250m spatial resolution was used to assess the impact of urban growth on vegetation. A time series analysis of the MODIS NDVI with a spatial resolution of 250m was used to establish the patterns of vegetation cover. Trends in vegetation change were determined in newly developed residential areas, informal settlements, and various vegetated areas. Sen's slope estimator and Mann-Kendall’s statisticwere used to analyse the spatial trends and variations in trends among different land cover classes. The slope of the trends differs significantly but there is a general decline in vegetation cover. The temporal profiles revealed the high and low NDVI values, respectively showing greening (high vegetation) and browning (low vegetation) trends from 2000 to 2016. It is concluded that urban growth has an impact on vegetation cover. However, this does not disturb the seasonal changes in vegetation where high NDVI values prevail in summer and low values in winter.

Monitoring Land Use/Cover Changes by Using Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing for Urban Hydrological Assessment: A Case Study in Beijing, China

Understanding the change in hydrological response due to urban dynamics is important for better flood preparedness and future sustainable urban planning. This study investigated the influence of urban land cover change on spatiotemporal changes in flood peak discharge and flood volume within a rapidly urbanizing catchment located in Beijing, China. We used Landsat satellite data ranging from 1986 to 2017 to monitor and quantify urban growth. Moreover, the Hydrological Modeling System (HEC-HMS) coupled with meteorological data was utilized to examine the impact of urban growth on hydrological responses. The results revealed that major changes in land use/cover (LULC) were detected in the urban landscape, which increased from 25.22% to 65.48% of the total catchment area, while agricultural land decreased from 64.85% to 25.28% during 1986–2017. The flood peak discharge and flood volume average of the three rainstorms events reached 7.02% and 11.93%, respectively. Furthermore, the changes in flood peak discharge and flood volume were more obvious at the sub-catchment scale. These findings indicate that urban growth enhanced the possible flooding risk in the study catchment. This study improves the understanding of the isolated impacts of urbanization on flooding and provides essential information for sustainable urban planning.