Remote sensing applications to identify devastated lagoons of the Indus Delta Pakistan

Abstract

A reduction in river flows is a major cause of the shrinking of river deltas. The Ramsar protected Indus Delta is one such example. Due to a consistent reduction in the flows of the Indus River, 15 out of 17 allied creeks facing back flows from the sea, while the remaining two are flowing during flooding years only. The connected wetlands and lagoons of these creeks have turned brackish, resulting in the devastation of associated habitats and ecosystems. This situation also increased seawater intrusion and coastal erosion. This study spatially detect the devastated lagoons, employing the Arc-Hydro tools in ArcGIS, conduct community meetings and draft evidence-based recommendations to revive the abandoned wetlands. The study identified 130 waterbodies using maximum likelihood and supervised classification methods on Landsat imagery. Through ground trothing 20 abandoned waterbodies have been visited and verified with community engagement. The revival of wetlands will improve biodiversity and coastal habitat, along with the re-plantation of mangrove, which provides a shield against tsunamis and cyclones and is also home to hundreds of species of shrimp. The sustainable wetlands may also provide immediate drinking and agricultural needs for the local population, as well as repel seawater from intruding inland.