Impact Assessment of Climate-Resilient Watershed Strategies on Vegetation Cover and Water Availability Using Geospatial Technology in the Mal Somat Watershed, Gujarat, India

Abstract

The impact of integrated watershed management interventions on land use, vegetation health, and moisture conditions was assessed in the Mal Somat Watershed, Gujarat, India, between 2022 and 2024. The watershed development adopted a ridge-to-valley approach, combined with climate-resilient soil and water conservation measures, including trench-cum-bunds, stone bunds, gabion structures and check dams. These measures aimed to reduce runoff, enhance soil moisture, and improve groundwater recharge. Land use and land cover (LULC) analysis revealed significant positive transformations: agricultural land increased from 768.27 ha (25.5%) to 1078.49 ha (35.8%), vegetation cover rose from 840.33 ha (27.9%) to 922.13 ha (30.6%) and water bodies nearly doubled from 11.95 ha (0.40%) to 23.19 ha (0.77%), while fallow and open lands declined substantially. Remote sensing indices indicate improved ecosystem health, with NDVI increasing from 0.32 to 0.48, NDWI from 0.45 to 0.48, and NDMI from 0.38 to 0.51, reflecting enhanced vegetation vigor, surface water availability, and soil moisture. Correlation analysis among NDVI, NDWI, and NDMI reveals that the functional linkage between vegetation and hydrological processes, which was weakened under moisture-stressed conditions in 2023, was restored by 2024, indicating ecosystem stabilisation. Overall, the study demonstrates that targeted watershed interventions, supported by geospatial monitoring, can effectively improve land productivity, water resources and ecological resilience in semi-arid areas.