SHORT NOTE

Photonirvachak
Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, Voi. 33, No. 2, 2005

A P P L I C A T I O N OF R E M O T E SENSING AND GIS IN

W A T E R S H E D C H A R A C T E R I Z A T I O N AND M A N A G E M E N T
PREETI C. SOLANKE, RAJEEV SRIVASTAVA@, JAGDISH PRASAD, M.S.S. NAGARAJU,
R.K. SAXENA ANDA.K. BARTHWAL
National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Amravati Road, Nagpur - 440 033, India
@Corresponding author : rsrivastava5@rediffmail.com

Remote sensing has become an indispensable The Ganeshpur micro-watershed is located

scientific tool for mapping and monitoring of natural
resources (Kasturirangan et al., 1996) and frequently
used in the characterization of the soil resources
(Saxena et al., 2000; Srivastava and Saxena, 2004)
and prioritization of watershed (Suresh et al., 2004)
for planning. The information generated with respect
to geomorphology, soil, land use/land cover through
remote sensing can be interpreted for various themes
viz. land capability, irrigability and crop suitability
etc. for better management and conservation of these
resources on watershed/village basis (Bodhankar et
al., 2002; Sharma et al., 2004).
The present paper discusses the application of
high resolution IRS-IC PAN merged LISS III data and
GIS in characterization of land resources and to
prepare maps of land capability, land irrigability,
cotton suitability and action plan for taking
appropriate soil conservation and management
measures for optimum utilization of the resources in
Ganeshpur m i c r o - w a t e r s h e d near Nagpur,
Maharashtra.
between 21~ ' to 21~ l'N latitude and 78o39 ' to
78~ longitude, covering an area of 650 ha., in
basaltic terrain at 400 to 520 m above MSL. The area
has dendritic drainage pattern (drainage density 2.98
km km 2) and drain into Jam river by 3 rd order stream.
The climate is subhumid (dry) with mean annual
temperature of 26.6~ and mean annual rainfall of
1050mm.
Geo-coded IRS-IC PAN merged LISS III data of
March 2002 (Rabi season) and December 2002 (late
K h a r i f season) were visually interpreted in
association with Survey of lndia toposheet (55K/12)
and other ancillary data were also used to derive
spatial information related to land use/land cover
and physiography o f the area. Slope map was
prepared using contour information of the toposheet
(IMSD, 1995) and subsequently corrected wherever
necessary, based on ground truth. Soil profiles were
exposed in different physiographic units and studied
for morphometric chararacteristics (Soil Survey
Division Staff, 2000). Horizon-wise soil samples were

Received 1 May, 2004; in final form 14 February, 2005

 240 Preeti C. Solankeet al.
collected from the representative soil series for
physical and-chemical analysis following standard
procedures. Soils were classified according to Keys
to Soil Taxonomy (Soil Survey Staff, 1999). The area
qualifies for 'ustic' and 'hyperthermic' soil moisture
and temperature regimes respectively.
Thematic maps of land use/land cover,
physiography, slope and soils were digitized and
processed under GIS environment using ILWIS 3.1
(Integrated Land and Water Information System)
software. The land capability (Klingebiel and
Montgomery, 1961) and land irrigability grouping of
soils were computed (AIS & LUS, 1971). According
to land capability, land suitable for cultivation are
grouped into class I to class IV and from V to VIII for
non-arable lands. The relative quality of the land
decreases from I to IV (arable) and V to VIII. The land
capability classes are further sub divided on the basis
of the predominant hazard or limitation viz. runoff
(e), excess of water (w), root zone limitations (s) and
climatic limitations (c). Where soils have two kinds
of limitations, both are indicated, the dominant one
being used first. In land irrigability classification
criteria, the lands are grouped into six irrigability
classes according to degree of limitations for
sustained use under irrigation. Sub classes of land
irrgability class (s = soil, t = topography, d = drainage)
are groups of land irrigability units that have the
same kinds of dominant limitations for sustained use
under irrigation. The suitability of soils was assessed
for cotton as per FAO guidelines (Sys et ai., 1991)
with slight modification (NBSS & LUP, 1994).
According to the soil suitability criteria, the limitation
levels of each characteristic (climate, site and soil)
are defined and takes into account the number and
intensity of limitations. Five land suitability classes
viz. S1 (very suitable), $2 (moderately suitable), $3
(marginally suitable), NI (actually unsuitable and
potentially suitable) and N2 (unsuitable) have been
derived. The action plan map of the watershed has
been prepared taking into consideration the
physiography-soils, land use/land cover, slope and
land capability of the area.
The study indicate that 155.3 ha land is under
forest (Fig. la) of which 66% is moderately dense
forest and the remaining is degraded forest.
Agricultural lands occupy 408.2 ha, of which only
20% area is double cropped. Wastelands, habitation
and waterbody occupy 13.1, 0.2 and 0.3% area,
respectively. The dominant crops of the area are
sorghum, cotton, pigeonpea, mungbean and soybean
in Kharifand wheat and gram in Rabi. The natural
vegetation comprises of mainly Teak (Tectona
grandis), Palas (Butea frondosa), Charoli
(Buchananid latifolia), Anjan (Hardwickia binata)
and Acacia spp.
The watershed has four major physiographic
units viz. plateau top, escarpment, pediment and
valley which were further subdivided into various
sub-units based on slope and image characteristics.
Based on physiography-soil relationship, nine soil
series were tentatively identified in the area. The soil
map depicting soil series association is presented in
fig. lb.
The soils are very dark grey (Gn2), very dark
greyish brown (Gnl, Gn7 and Gn9) and very dark
brown (GnS) in 10 YR hue (Munsell soil colour chart)
and others are dark brown to very dark brown in 7.5
YR hue. The soils occurring on very gently sloping
(I-3%) plateau are shallow to moderately deep,
somewhat excessively drained (Gn3) to moderately
well drained (Gn I and Gn2), clayey, moderately eroded
(Typic Haplustepts/Leptic Haplusterts) whereas
gently sloping (3-8%) undulating plateau, moderately
sloping (10-15%) escarpment and pediments soils
are associated with very shallow to shallow, some
what excessively drained (Gn5 and Gn6).to well
drained soils having loamy/clayey to clayey-skeletal
textural class. These are moderate to severely eroded
and are classified as Typic Ustorthents and Typic
Haplustepts. The soils of the valley are very deep to
deep, moderately well drained and are grouped as
Typic Haplusterts (very-fine) and Fluventic
Haplustepts (fine) at subgroup levels. Some relevant
physical,and chemical characteristics of the soils are
given in Table !.
 Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in... 241

Table 1: Salient physical and chemical characteristics o f soils

Horizon Depth Sand Silt Clay pH EC Org. C CaCO~ CEC BS (%)

(cm) <---- - - (%) - - - ---> (1:2.5 water) <---- (g kg"l) - ~ (c mol(p+)kg-I)

Pedon ! Ganeshpur-I series (Gnl): Clayey, smeetitic Typic Haplustepts (Very gently sloping plateau)
Ap 0-14 7.1 27.4 65.5 6.9 0.03 5.7 63.8 95.5
Bw 14-42 10.4 21.2 68.4 7.2 0.04 4.6 16 65.3 95.3

Pedon 2 Ganeshpurr2 series (Gn2): Very-fine, smectitic Leptic Haplusterts (Very gently sloping plateau)
Ap 0-13 5.7 27.2 67.1 6.9 0.03 8.1 56.6 98.0
Bw 13-39 5.4 31.0 63.6 7.0 0.04 6.6 17 61.1 97.5
Bss 39-70 6.0 26.2 67.8 7. I 0.08 4.1 20 67.7 96.2

Pedon 3 Ganeshpur-3 series (Gn3): Clayey-skeletal, smectitic Typic Ustorthents (Very gently sloping plateau)
Ap 0-14 20.4 25.2 54.4 6.2 0.04 5.5 - 55.5 91.1
AC 14-55 24.4 20.2 55.4 6.3 0.07 4.3 - 52.6 94.8

Pedon 4 Ganeshpur-4 series (Gn4): Clayey, smectitic Typic Haplustepts (Undulating plateau with isolated butte)
A 0-9 18.0 25.9 56.1 6.3 0.04 6.5 56.6 93.1
Bw 9-26 24.4 20.9 54.7 6.3 0.03 5.3 55.5 97.5

Pedon 5 Ganeshpur-5 series (Gn5): Loamy, smectitic Typic Ustorthents (Escarpments)

A 0-10 37.5 45.8 16.7 7.4 0.11 3.4 21 18.8 92.0

Pedon 6 Ganeshpur-6 series (Gn6): Loamy, smectitic Typic Ustorthents (Gently sloping pediments)
A 0-10 42.4 27.8 29.8 6.6 0.06 5.3 30.2 90.3

Pedon 7 Ganeshpur-7 series (Gn7): Clayey, smectitic Typic Haplustepts (Very gently sloping pediments)
Ap 0-12 24.6 33.8 41.6 7.0 0.04 5.6 19 45.0 95.2
Bw 12-26 23.7 32.3 44.0 7.2 0.08 4.5 32 49.6 99. !

Pedon 8 Ganeshpur-8 series (Gn8): Very-fine, smectitic Typic Haplusterts (Very gently sloping valley)
Ap 0-14 24.2 15.6 60.2 7.7 0.10 4.6 81 61.1 93.3
Bw 14-33 17.7 20.1 62.2 7.8 0.I0 4.2 68 64.4 94.0
Bssl 33-60 11.4 24.4 64.2 7.9 0.12 3.8 94 67.7 94.8
Bss2 60-90 12.7 16.5 70.8 8.1 0.13 3.3 74 68.5 97.3
Bss3 90-125 12.9 16.0 71.1 8.5 0.03 2.9 121 69.5 98.3
C 125-141 13.4 26.5 60.1 8.5 0.03 1.9 121 58.5 99.5

Pedon 9 Ganeshpur-9 series (Gn9): Fine, smectitic Fluventic Haplustepts (Very gently sloping valley)
Ap 0-14 16.7 31.6 51.7 7.9 0.11 5.3 71 54.6 93.2
Bw 14-27 20.5 36.5 43.0 8.0 0.11 5.1 193 42.4 96.1
Ckl 27-48 26.3 28.4 45.3 7.9 0.13 4.9 158 42.6 97.0
Ck2 48-65 29.2 33.1 37.7 8.0 0.11 3.5 166 37.0 98.2
Ck3 65-90 30.5 28.9 40.6 8.0 0.11 1.9 203 42.6 98.7
Ck4 90-120 20.8 30.6 48.6 7.9 0.17 1.2 168 41.6 98.9
242 Preeti C. Solanke et al.

Five land capability sub classes namely IIs, IIIs,
llIes, IVes and Vies and five land irrigability sub
classes viz. 2s, 2sd, 3sd, 4ts and 6t have been
identified (Figs. lc and ld). The study indicate that
75% and 73% area is suitable for cultivation and
irrigation respectively.
The matching of the soil-site characteristics of
each soil unit with the requirements of cotton crop
(simple limitation method), it is observed that the
soils of undulating plateau, escarpment and gently
sloping pediments are unsuitable for cotton due to
limitations posed by shallow solum, moderate
surface stoniness and steep slopes. The soils of
very gently sloping plateau and pediment are
marginally suitable (Fig. l e) because of shallow
depth and moderate to severe erosion. The deep to
very deep soils occurring in valleys are moderately
suitable ($2) for cotton due to limitations posed by
low content of organic carbon and high calcium
carbonate. The results are in agreement with the
findings ofYadav et al. (1999).

Fig. 1. Thematic maps of Ganeshpur watershed, Nagpur

 Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in...
The action plan map (Fig. If) of the watershed
has been prepared taking into consideration the
physiography-soils, land use/land cover, slope and
land capability of the area. The moderately dense/
degraded forest areas should be put under
afforestation. Climatically adapted fast growing tree
species like teak should be planted in the area. Illegal
felling of trees and grazing should be avoided. Fire
lines may be created and on bund Agave plantation
is suggested. Gully plugging is recommended to
minimize the head-ward erosion.
The' gently sloping undulating plateau,
pediments and escarp slopes presently under
wasteland with stony phase may be put under
vegetative cover of trees/grasses viz. Cenchrus
ciliaris (anjan), S e h i m a nervosum (sain),
Dichanthium annulatum and Heteropogon contortus
(spear grass) or custard apple, charoli, Acacia spp.
and tendu. However, very gently sloping pediment
supporting sustenance farming (under rainfed
condition), facing great risk due to intermittent dry
spells, need to be put under agri-horticulture. The
clay textured soils underlain by weathered basalt may
suit for custard apple (Jagdish Prasad et al., 1995),
jujube and even oranges (Jagdish Prasad, 1996) and
papaya under irrigated environment. Under suitable
soil and water conservation, these lands may be
cropped in kharif with short duration crops like
mungbean, urdbean and sesamum and fodder
sorghum to combat the soil erosion or to be put under
fodder trees like H. binata, L. leucocephala and
Acacia spp. etc. Very gently sloping plateau and
pediments, which presently support sorghum and
cotton, should be cultivated with short duration and
drought resistance varieties of these crops under
integrated soil, water and nutrient management.
However, plantations of timber/fruit and medicinal
plants (Lemon grass, Palamarosa, Khus) and flowers
like marigold have great potential on these lands.
The valley-soils, which are presently under
single or double cropping, can profitably be
cultivated for sorghum, cotton, soybean, pigeonpea,
wheat, gram, citrus and vegetables. However, there
243
is urgent need for organic carbon sequestration and
drainage management in these soils.
The sloping areas and wastelands, in general,
need urgent soil conservation measures viz. contour
bunding, gully plugging and small check dams. Very
gently sloping plateau to be put under vegetative
cover of fast growing trees/crops to minimize the
risk of soil erosion hazard.
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