Spatio-Temporal Land Cover Change in Chamoli District, Uttarakhand (1990–2026): Methods, Trends, and Research Gaps
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper synthesizes evidence on spatio-temporal land use/land cover (LULC) change in Chamoli District, Uttarakhand, from 1990 to 2026, situating local dynamics within broader central Himalayan transitions.Drawing on multi-temporal Landsat and Sentinel-2 imagery, DEMderived terrain variables, NDVI, fragmentation metrics, and predictive modeling, we reconstruct three phases: a 1990-2010 baseline of declining agriculture and expanding built-up/vegetation; a 2010-2020 transition marked by intensified fragmentation, rapid urban growth, forest loss, and warming-linked hazard exposure; and a 2020-2026 expansion characterized by strong highelevation greening, grassland spread over deglaciated terrain, increased barren land, and sharp snow decline.Elevation-zone analysis reveals upward migration of vegetation lines (7-28 m yr⁻¹) and disproportionate forest and grassland gains above ~4,100 m, alongside glacier retreat and dense glacial lake concentration in the Dhauliganga-Rishiganga system.Despite methodological advances toward multi-sensor, elevation-aware and prediction-oriented approaches, the district still lacks a fully harmonized 1990-2026 classification series.The results highlight how interacting climate variability, infrastructural growth, and slope-constrained hazards jointly reshape water regulation, slope stability, carbon storage, and settlement safety in a highly sensitive Himalayan landscape.
Source: Shiksha Samvad
Authors: Uma Bhattacharya, Dr. Rajesh Jolly
Language: English
Topic: Remote Sensing and Land Use
Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7166459270