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Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
Published on: July 24, 2016
Catchment-Wetland Associations Based on Multiscale Landscape Structure and Hydro-Ecological Indicators at Bakhira
Manish Rawat1, Ashish Pandey2, Basant Yadav1
1Water Resources Development and Management, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India.
Environmental Management
|August 1, 2026
Summary
Wetland water extent is declining at Bakhira Ramsar Site due to land-use changes, impacting aquatic vegetation and floating algae. Management strategies are needed for this Ramsar Site.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Remote Sensing
- Ecology
Background:
- Wetland health is influenced by hydrology, land use, and fragmentation.
- Bakhira Ramsar Site faces pressures impacting its ecological condition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess long-term catchment-wetland associations and hydro-ecological condition at Bakhira Ramsar Site.
- To evaluate the impact of land-use change on wetland dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Landsat-derived indices (NDWI, VAI, EAVI, FAI) for water and vegetation analysis.
- Employed FRAGSTATS metrics and LULC transformation analysis for landscape changes.
- Applied Pearson correlation, Redundancy Analysis (RDA), and a Wetland Health Index (WHI).
Main Results:
- Observed a persistent decline in wetland water extent (-46.62 ha/yr pre-monsoon, -37.30 ha/yr post-monsoon).
- Noted an increase in aquatic vegetation (EAVI) and floating algae (FAI) with expanding cropland and decreasing marshy areas.
- Identified strong seasonal linkages between catchment and wetland landscape metrics, with RDA explaining significant wetland-response variation.
Conclusions:
- Bakhira Wetland's hydro-ecological condition was classified as 'Moderate' using the WHI.
- Findings support a catchment-based approach for wetland monitoring and restoration prioritization.
- The study provides a framework for managing Ramsar Sites amidst land-use changes.
