Application of GIS techniques in mapping land use/land cover for natural resource management: A case study of the upper Uaso Nyiro river catchment

Abstract

As pressure on land and water resources continue to mount, the ability to accurately assess resource conditions and trends becomes even more essential. Hence there is need for integrated information which lS computer amenable to facilitate effective and timely manipulation. Geoinformatics comprises all the fields that are related to the collection, processing, output-and the use of land information e.g. Remote Sensing (including photogrammetry), GIS, cartography etc. This study aimed at investigating the use of two tools of Geoinformatics, i.e. GIS and Remote Sensing in managing the natural resources of the Upper Uaso Ny'iro river catchment. A user needs assessment was carried out to establish the desirable contents of a proposed GIS database. A Landsat MSS image was used to manually produce a land-use/land-cover map which was later digitized and combined with other data (such as the road network, drainage network, and major centres) in the database. GIS analysis was then performed on the database using Arc/Info and Are View software packages. Various GIS products, which could be useful for various user needs, were output. Results obtained revealed that tremendous savings in time and money can be achieved by using these Geoinformatics tools. The study has demonstrated that resource planners can now rapidly produce a combination of maps and tables that can be used for monitoring, modelling and management of natural resources in the Upper Uaso Ny'iro rlver basin, and other, similar regions.